Extinction Rebellion’s climate activists took action at the ING bank on the Nieuwstraat in Eindhoven last Saturday afternoon. The protesters want the bank to cut ties with the fossil industry. Every year, ING finances some nine billion euros in the oil and gas industry.
“Hypocritical,” the activists said. “They talk green, but meanwhile are the biggest driver of the climate crisis. People are dying because of ING.”
That is why Extinction Rebellion took action at nine ING branches across the country last Saturday: in Amersfoort, Amsterdam, Apeldoorn, Zaandam, Groningen, Nijmegen, Utrecht, Eindhoven and Zwolle.
At the Eindhoven bank branch, protesters were holding signs with texts such as ‘ING get out of oil and gas’ and ‘ING is the most polluting bank in the Netherlands’.
Targeted more often
This is not the first time ING has been targeted. Last summer, the same office was occupied by the climate movement. Back then, the activists demanded the bank stop financing the fossil industry also.
Nothing came of that demand, the climate activists said. Since the Paris Climate Agreement, a treaty to curb global warming, the bank has poured some $62 billion into the oil and gas industry, according to Extinction Rebellion.
This is unacceptable, according to Extinction Rebellion. “It is ridiculous that citizens are repeatedly told to reduce their emissions, but a bank like ING just keeps funding fossil projects,” said Akelei de Lange, spokesperson for the movement.
“We will be back”
The action does not stop there. This Monday, the climate activists will attend ING’s shareholders’ meeting. If the bank does not indicate there that it will stop fossil financing, Extinction Rebellion will continue with similar actions.
Earlier, the bank revealed that it does take steps towards more sustainable energy. ING also said it would help its customers in this change.
Occupation
Earlier, Extinction Rebellion activists occupied Eindhoven Airport and rooms at the TU/e
Source: Studio040
Translator: Martijn
