Activists occupy Paul McCartney photo exhibition

Help!

Help! The planet's burning
Help! You know the seas are boiling!
Help! because of oily money, Heeeeelp!

When Paul was younger
So much younger than today
He wasn’t fronting climate change
Or oil in any way

Then Bank of America said Paul
‘You want some cash?’
And now we find thats Paul’s been blind -
He’s fronting climate crash

Help us if you can we’re feeling scared -
Paul you don’t need oily money; you’re a millionaire
So please, Paul, show the world that you still care
Won't you please Please, DIVEST DIVEST DIVEST

'Help!' Climate activists target Beatles exhibition at National Portrait Gallery

Over 30 Fossil Free London activists took a stand against Bank of America’s ongoing financing of the fossil fuel industry, at the National Portrait Gallery’s ‘Paul McCartney: Eyes of the Storm’ exhibition, which the bank sponsors.During an hour-long occupation of the gallery, they used parody Beatles songs to draw attention to Bank of America’s continuing investment in new oil and gas ventures, as well as its attempts to launder its reputation through sponsorship of major cultural institutions and exhibitions.

Security evacuated most of the building and called the police, although no arrests took place.

In the five years since the Paris Agreement, Bank of America has provided $232 billion in fossil fuel financing for projects across the globe, and continues to record healthy profits as the climate crisis increases in scale and intensity.

In order to distract from its failure to divest from fossil fuels, Bank of America sponsors major cultural institutions around the world, including the National Portrait Gallery, of which it is the principal partner.

Joanna Warrington, a Fossil Free London activist, commented: “Sponsoring the National Portrait Gallery is a cynical way for Bank of America to distract from its abysmal record on fossil fuel financing. There can be no future for the arts while new oil pipelines are being laid and new gas wells are being drilled. So we’re calling on the National Portrait Gallery to end its association with this bank that’s setting fire to the culture their exhibitions hope to display. It's time to cut oily money out of our cultural institutions."