Activists glued themselves to the doors of BlackRock's second largest global office amidst a surge of civil disobedience against financial institutions in London.
Climate activists as part of the global Extinction Rebellion movement targeted BlackRock in the City of London Monday morning. They glued themselves to the doors while others staged a mock dinner party with rolled up banknotes on their plates, in front of a powerful statement from American Indigenous Chief Seattle.
Those participating included a former BBC broadcaster, a number of scientists, and a 57 year old grandmother from Bristol.
In their letter sent to BlackRock executives and the media, they said:
BlackRock stokes the fires that are destroying our planet. Due to the massive scale of its financial holdings, BlackRock literally has the power to determine whether our planet remains habitable or not.
XR calls on Larry Fink and BlackRock’s 5,000 UK based employees, its countless investors and shareholders, to wake up and smell the fires caused by its investments. Recognise that the world’s unprecedented Climate and Ecological Emergency is induced by the hydrocarbon industries and deforestation-risk companies, in which globally you are the #1 shareholder. Instead of committing ecocide and other crimes against humanity, we call on BlackRock to end the destruction and send the world and our struggling ecosystems a message like no other – a message of hope.
BlackRock can choose: a future of extinction or one of hope.
The action is part of a two week “rebellion” that has seen over 1,300 arrested with non-violent civil disobedience aimed at slowing down and disrupting sources of financial and governmental power who are ignoring the climate crisis.
The action was covered in CNBC the Financial Times (behind a paywall) and CityAM in London.
Facebook live videos of how the action unfolded on the ground can be seen here (a 19 year old getting arrested), here (scientists for XR), and here. A wrap up video including the stories of those who committed civil disobedience was also made by XR:
