Natwest Bank shut by anti-cuts protesters

Saturday  26th February

Notts UK Uncut occupied Natwest Bank, ultimately forcing it to close early. The theme was "The Big Society Reading Room" .... setting up a temporary library in the bank.

Notts UK Uncut occupied Natwest Bank, ultimately forcing it to close early. The theme was "The Big Society Reading Room" .... setting up a temporary library in the bank.

The Natwest just off Market Square was targetted as part of a national day of action against Natwest and Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) who own it. 

Campaigners are angry that the firm has been allowed to pay investment bankers massive bonuses, despite the fact that it was bailed out by the British taxpayer to the tune of billions of pounds in 2008.

Protesters entered the bank around 11.30am and were able to remain in for more than 2 hours. For most of this time the bank was still in operation. This created a bizarre atmosphere, with customers queuing to be served on one side of the store while campaigners were sat with banners on the other, often chanting and reading stories. 

After an hour or so, a couple of Community Protection Officers arrived, surveyed the situation, took some notes, and generally hung about.  After a further interval, a couple of armed officers arrived complete with side arms!! [presumably leaving the H&K assault rifles in the car outside].  After a few exchanges, realised that the protest was of good order and didn't seem to need such policing.  After a bit of a chat with the management, they to hung about a bit also.

Eventually, the management clearly decided they'd had enough and the bank was shut early, with a note stuck to the door explaining only that this was due to "unforseen circumstances." From Natwest, protesters moved onto Vodafone and Boots [again], targetted because of their efforts to avoid paying tax.

Notts UK Uncut Nat West ‘bail in’

http://falseeconomy.org.uk/campaigns/event/notts-uk-uncut-nat-west-bail-in

 

UK Uncut

http://www.ukuncut.org.uk

 

Notts SOS

http://www.nottssos.org.uk

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ALAN LODGE 

Photographer - Media: One Eye on the Road. Nottingham.  UK

Email:                 tash@indymedia.org

Web:                   http://digitaljournalist.eu

Member of the National Union of Journalists [NUJ]

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"It is not enough to curse the darkness.

                                   It is also necessary to light a lamp!!"

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Contact email: tash@indymedia.org