Artists target Wimbledon’s ‘strawberries and cream image’ over link to Barclays

Many advertisements on commercial billboards, the underground, and bus shelters near Wimbledon have been switched out for artwork criticizing the tournament's partnership with Barclays due to its connections to fossil fuels and companies that provide weapons to Israel.

Event planners are feeling the heat to cut ties with the bank as a sponsor following criticism from environmental advocates and peace activists. They claim that Barclays is using the tournament as a way to hide its involvement in funding environmental issues and to avoid responsibility for supporting Israel's actions in war.

At the start of the 2024 championships next week, over 300 public advertisements surrounding the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club have been replaced with parody posters imitating promotions for Wimbledon and Barclays in a rogue act organized by the activist group Brandalism.

In one poster made by Darren Cullen, there is an image of a tennis player bleeding on the court next to a hole, with the message "We are profiting from Gaza and global warming." Another artwork by Anarcha Art depicts two hands coming together - one belonging to a tennis player and the other to a banker - with the words: "Collaborators in environmental destruction and mass murder."

Kit Speedwell, who speaks for Brandalism, mentioned: "Wimbledon's beloved reputation for strawberries and cream has been tarnished by their choice to team up with Barclays, known as the most harmful bank in Europe. Barclays continues to invest heavily in the arms industry and companies that harm the environment, contributing to climate change."

" Wimbledon needs to stop enabling Barclays' unethical behavior and terminate the sponsorship agreement right away."

One of the artists, Matt Bonner, mentioned: "Barclays is still financially supporting fossil fuel companies such as Shell and BP. This is why we are demonstrating to Wimbledon that their partnership with the bank is a clear approval of their involvement in causing climate change. We want to emphasize that there is no place for tennis on a planet that is deteriorating due to environmental issues."

Lindsay Grime made a funny commercial for the campaign showing money covered in blood coming out of the pockets of a Wimbledon player. She said that the sponsorship deal is helping Barclays make their questionable actions seem acceptable to the public. She also said that Wimbledon needs to realize that partnering with Barclays is harmful to their reputation.

According to a report from the Campaign Against Arms Trade, Barclays has been the largest investor in fossil fuels in Europe, putting $235bn into the industry since 2016. The report also noted that the bank has around £2bn invested in shares of companies that support Israel by providing weapons, components, and other military equipment.

Barclays responded to the backlash by stating on the internet that they offer financial services to nine defense companies that supply Israel. They clarified that they do not make investments on behalf of Barclays, and they are not considered shareholders or investors. The bank explained that they trade shares of listed companies based on client requests, which may lead to them holding shares in those companies.

Last Friday, a representative from Barclays spoke to the Guardian and stated that they are happy to be working alongside Wimbledon. Similar to other banks, Barclays offers financial services to companies that provide defense products to the UK, Nato, and their allies. Additionally, Barclays is supporting the transition of the energy sector by committing to providing $1 trillion of sustainable and transition finance by 2030. This is aimed at creating a cleaner and more secure energy system.

A representative from the All England Club stated that their goal is to make a positive difference for the environment during the championships. They understand that environmental issues are a major concern and are dedicated to doing their part. Barclays is a key partner for them and they are collaborating on various projects together.