Activists blockade Wellington ANZ branch, demand fossil fuel divestment

Wednesday, 11 May 2016

Protesters blocked the entrance to the bank on Lambton Quay this morning.

About 50 activists have forced an ANZ branch on Lambton Quay to close demanding the banking giant divest its $13.5 billion in fossil fuel investments.

Four protesters perched atop the bank's awning – wearing coal-dusted boiler suits – could face arrest when they come down while about 50 people sat below at the entrance as about 10 police and security guards looked on.

Bags of coal blocked the front doors.

Environmental protesters at the Lambton Quay ANZ branch in Wellington voice their opposition to the banking group's loan to fossil fuel companies.

Spokesman for climate change group 350 Aotearoa Aaron Packard said the action was part of Break Free, a global wave of non-violent actions to keep coal, oil and gas in the ground and accelerate the transition to 100 per cent renewable energy.

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'Some people might call us radicals but ANZ are the radicals because they're willing to keep funding fossil fuels and climate change – they could easily divest without breaking the bank,' Packard said.

ANZ customer Hayley Robertson was shut out of the branch but said she supported the protest and was considering changing banks.

'The sort of stuff they get up to is terrible,' Robertson said.

350 Aotearoa has claimed that since 2008, Westpac, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, National Australia Bank and ANZ have loaned about $38.5 billion to new coal and gas projects in Australia.

The protest follows similar actions in Christchurch and Auckland over the past week.

ANZ New Zealand spokesman Stefan Herrick said the branch was closed about 11.30am after protesters blocked all entrances.

'We had concerns about staff and customers - particularly the elderly - being jostled by people. We were also concerned about the safety of the protesters on the awning,' Herrick said.

As one of the country's biggest companies and the most popular bank Herrick said the ANZ was 'a target because it might make headlines. We live in a democracy and ANZ believes people have a right to protest peacefully.'

ANZ New Zealand did very little lending in the fossil fuels sector.

'In fact, less than 0.27 percent of our total lending in New Zealand is to fossil fuels and most of that is in gas. We lend a lot more to the renewable energy, green tech/investment sectors and that is growing,' he said.