Pro-Palestine protesters lay effigies of dead babies at Blackburn bank

The branch, on Darwen Street, remained open with about 50 people holding flags and placards across the road to what they say is ‘Barclays bank’s support for the Gaza genocide.’

A demonstration at Barclays sites in Bolton, Manchester, Preston, Rochdale, Oldham and Preston had also been planned at the same time on Monday afternoon.

A similar protest was held in November when the bank announced it would close for the day.

Protestors said Barclays 'provides more than £3 billion in loans and underwriting to companies whose weapons, components, and military technology have been used in Israel’s armed violence against Palestinians'.

A number of speakers spoke passionately about the people of Gaza and the ongoing bombing of civilians by the Israeli government. Speakers who hailed from different backgrounds said the issue is one of ‘humanity and not of religion’. 

One speaker said they were 'ashamed' that the British government and organisations had supported the ‘genocide’.

A banner unfurled in front of the branch also had dummy dead babies with individual messages calling for the government to ‘stop the genocide’.

A member of the Blackburn For Palestine group said: "This is a continuous effort outside establishments that we feel are arming or supporting the killing of innocent people.

“It is a shame we have to come to this and come outside and protest like this.

“People need to be aware that boycotts work as they have with other apartheid states.

“We would like to thank all those who came out to make their voices heard. We had speakers from Stop the War Coalition and people from across Lancashire attend.”

Over the weekend, more than 200,000 took to the streets of London calling for a cease fire.

On October 7, Hamas carried out an attack in Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking hostages. Since then Israel has killed 24,000, according to the Gaza health ministry, and injured more than 50,000, many of them women and children.

Many pro-Palestine supporters also claim Israel has killed and kidnapped thousands after in the 'occupied lands' over a 75-year period.

In October, Reuters reported Barclays had frozen an account in the UK linked to Hamas.

The bank account's details were published by Hamas "for the purpose of depositing donation funds", Israeli police said in a statement.

Barclays has been approached for comment.