Bank ATMs vandalised across France by climate campaigners

Around 60 ATMs (automatic teller machines, or cash distributors) belonging to the bank BNP Paribas have been attacked across several towns in France by climate campaign group Extinction Rebellion.

The ATMs were put out of service as the activists spread thick glue over the machines and left a press release in place that called the bank the “filthiest (plus crade)” in the country. Some machines also had black paint thrown at them in the attacks which happened overnight February 6-7.

Machines were affected in cities including Dijon, Marseille and Carcassonne.

The campaigners also criticised the bank’s decision to make 3,500 employees redundant at a time when the Chief Executive’s salary rose by 9% and the bank recently posted record profits.

In 2022, BNP Paribas posted a record net profit of €10.2billion, a rise of 7.5% compared to 2021. The bank is the biggest in Europe.

Read more: French banks to limit fee increases to 2% in 2023 amid high inflation

Campaigners wrote: “Queen of bank surcharges, queen of oil, the biggest European financier and fifth-biggest fossil fuel developer in the world, permits itself to inflict charges of up to €25 per month on its most fragile customers.”

The attack is the latest in a series of similar actions by Extinction Rebellion in France. In August last year, it cemented over a number of golf course holes in protest at how much water it takes to keep the grass green.

Related articles

French golf course holes cemented over by climate activists

Extinction Rebellion mount ‘civil disobedience’ protests in Paris