Royal Bank moves workers out as eco-warriors plan protest's climax

MORE than 100 climate change protesters breached police lines at the headquarters of Royal Bank of Scotland last night ahead of a day of action planned against the banking giant today.

Dressed in white bio-hazard suits, they burst past police at Gogarburn on the outskirts of Edinburgh at about 5pm.

Activists held a banner reading "Greedy pigs, bankrolling the climate crisis" and threw an oil-like substance at the building, a spokesman for the group said. Several windows were broken and there were reports that golf balls were catapulted at the office block. It was thought two people were arrested.

Campaigners have been gathering at the headquarters on the outskirts of Edinburgh since Thursday and an estimated 500 were on site last night.

Members of the Camp for Climate Action have accused the bank of using taxpayers' money to prop up fossil fuel companies and thereby fund

environmental damage.

RBS was rescued by the taxpayer during the banking crisis and the government holds an 84 per cent stake.

Shaun Caulfield, who took part in last night's action, said: "RBS is one of the biggest climate criminals in the UK. People are angry that bankers are ploughing the billions that they got in the bail-out into incredibly destructive fossil fuel projects around the world."

Views from both camps

• RBS's view of the Climate Camp protest

• Sharon Condry: 'RBS's history of financing fossil fuel energy justifies focus of action'

However, RBS said it provided support for businesses working across many industries, reflecting the make-up of society and the economy.

Today police are braced for further protests at RBS headquarters by hundreds of eco-warriors as the climax of the week-long "climate camp".

Hundreds of staff at the Gogarburn complex have been moved to other offices or will work from home amid fears a mass blockade could bring rush-hour chaos to the nearby A8.

At least 300 protesters will take part in unspecified action against the bank today, according to Camp for Climate Action. A spokesman said other bank offices and branches may also be targeted. A further 300 activists will provide back-up support at the camp.

However, RBS stressed that a "high proportion" of its 3,000 head office staff were due to work there as normal today. The bank employs about 5,000 people in Edinburgh at dozens of sites.

The day of action comes after four protesters stormed the RBS-sponsored main theatre at the Edinburgh International Book Festival yesterday to interrupt a lecture by Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz.

The audience shouted "out, out, out" as the protesters distributed pamphlets. Journalist Ruth Wishart, who was chairing the lecture, manhandled one female protester from the platform with one hand on her back and the other on her elbow.

In a series of incidents on Saturday, activists forced two city centre RBS branches to close, while glue was put on doors and cash machines.

An RBS-sponsored Festival Fringe stage in the Royal Mile was also "hijacked" by activists, who performed Dirty Oil, a spoof version of the Lady Gaga song Poker Face.

On Friday, some 150 protesters managed to get past security staff to enter the Gogarburn site. One woman, posing as a bank worker, got into a building and glued herself to a desk.

An RBS spokesman said: "Our priority is to ensure we minimise disruption for staff and customers. As you would expect, we have taken a number of precautionary measures to that end, including providing alternative work locations for some staff where appropriate. Gogarburn

and all our offices and branches remain open." She said: "We are hoping for a peaceful protest, enabling them to get their voice heard.

"Should it change and there are acts of criminality, we would police that accordingly."

It is understood bank head office staff were given the opportunity to work elsewhere today in an effort to reduce the impact of potential traffic disruption from the protest.

This was voluntary and not on police advice.

An RBS spokesman said: "Our priority is to ensure we minimise disruption for staff and customers.

"As you would expect, we have taken a number of precautionary measures to that end, including providing alternative work locations for some staff where appropriate.

"Gogarburn and all our offices and branches remain open."

The spokesman said its branches in Princes Street and St Andrew Square had to close early on Saturday because protesters were trying to get in. He said the Gogarburn nursery, which cares for 80 children, was closed for safety, with parents allowed to work from home.