A group of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered outside Wimbledon on Monday with a giant tennis ball and strawberries “tainted with Palestinian blood” to demonstrate against Barclays’ sponsorship of the event.
The protest, organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, saw about 100 protesters stand outside the main entrance to the south-west London tennis club on Monday – the first day of the Grand Slam competition.
Protesters set up a giant tennis ball with the words “Barclays sponsors Wimbledon and genocide” written on it, along with plates of strawberries covered in red sauce.
On the strawberries were written the words: “Wimbledon strawberries tainted with Palestinian blood, courtesy of Barclays”.
Queuing fans looked on as protesters chanted “stop bombing schools, and stop bombing hospitals”.
A speaker played the Italian song Bella Ciao as attendees held a sign that read “Stop The Genocide”.
Lewis Backon, 28, from London, a spokesman for the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, said Barclays was financing companies supplying weapons to Israel.
“The official partner of Wimbledon is Barclays Bank, and Barclays is financing, to the tune of billions of pounds, companies supplying weapons and military technology that Israel is using in its genocidal assault on Palestinians in Gaza,” he said.
He said Barclays “can’t hide” from its role in the conflict.
“You can’t use tennis as a shield to improve your reputation and to hide from accountability for your role in financing Israel’s genocide and apartheid against Palestinians,” he added.
“I think Wimbledon should end their sponsorship with Barclays.
“They shouldn’t allow Barclays to use tennis to hide from accountability as a shield to improve their reputation when they’re so complicit in Israel’s devastating attacks.”
He added that “many fans share our anger”.
“So we hope, before going in, a lot of Wimbledon fans will be here joining us engaging with us and also demanding that their sport, tennis, shouldn’t be used like this to provide cover for a bank which is financing genocide,” he said.
Meanwhile, more than 300 commercial billboard, tube and bus shelter adverts near the south-west London tennis club showed artworks targeting the bank over its alleged ties to defence companies as well as high-emitting firms.
The adverts included images such as a bomb crater in a tennis court and tennis whites stained with oil and blood alongside slogans like “Partners in climate crimes and genocide” and “From Gaza to global warming, we’re making a killing”.
Kit Speedwell, from the Brandalism campaign – which is behind the adverts, said: “Wimbledon’s cherished strawberries and cream image has been thoroughly sullied by its decision to partner with Barclays, the most toxic bank in Europe, while the bank continues to pour millions into the arms trade and fossil fuel companies driving climate chaos.
“Wimbledon must stop providing cover for Barclays’ grotesque lack of morals and immediately end the sponsorship deal.”
Tony Burdon, CEO of Make My Money Matter, said: “Barclays is the new Shell, and is using Wimbledon’s great reputation to cover up its role in financing the climate crisis.
“No decent organisation should be sponsored by Barclays, and if Wimbledon is serious about its legacy, and its commitment to the environment, then it must drop them.”
The All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) is the latest organisation to come under fire from climate and pro-Palestine protesters over its sponsorship deal with Barclays.
Barclays suspended its sponsorship of Live Nation festivals last month, after bands pulled out of events as part of a pro-Palestine boycott.
Last year, film stars and celebrities, including Dame Emma Thompson, also called on Wimbledon to end the sponsorship deal with Barclays.
A spokesperson for the AELTC recently called Barclays an “important partner”, as they outlined their ambition to have a “positive impact on the environment” as a marker of a successful championship.
Barclays has previously addressed the criticism in a statement online, saying it provided financial services to nine defence companies supplying Israel but does not directly invest in such firms.
The bank said it has become the target of a disinformation campaign over its ties to defence companies which has put colleagues at risk.
In response to the protests, a spokesperson said: “We are proud of our partnership with Wimbledon which supports the growth of the championships and opportunities for young people across the UK through the Wimbledon Foundation.
“Like many other banks, we provide financial services to companies supplying defence products to the UK, Nato and its allies.
“We are also financing an energy sector in transition, including providing one trillion dollars of Sustainable and Transition Finance by 2030 to build a cleaner and more secure energy system.”
PA has contacted the AELTC for comment.
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