Activists launch fake oil attack on the City slickers during Extinction Rebellion prank 

Five are arrested after activists launched fake oil attack on the Bank of England in an Extinction Rebellion ‘April Fool’s prank’

  • Members of Extinction Rebellion sprayed fake oil over the Bank of England
  • Covered outside in substance made of mixture of black pond dye and guar gum 
  • The City of London police attended the demonstration and five activists arrested

Five eco-activists were arrested yesterday after protesters sprayed fake oil over the front of the Bank of England.

Members of the campaign group Extinction Rebellion – known as XR – staged the ‘elaborate April Fool’s prank’ to object against the role they say banks play in the climate crisis.

Demonstrators covered the outside of the Bank in a substance made of a mixture of black pond dye and guar gum – a thickening agent. 

Members of the campaign group Extinction Rebellion – known as XR – sprayed fake oil over the front of the Bank of England

Others held a black and green banner saying ‘No More Fossil Fools’.

City of London police attended the demonstration on Threadneedle Street, central London, at about 11.30am and dispersed the activists. 

Officers said one person had been arrested for criminal trespass.

Three others face a count of criminal damage and a further arrest was made for going equipped to commit criminal damage. All five remain in police custody.

Five eco-activists were arrested after demonstrators covered the outside of the Bank in a substance made of a mixture of black pond dye and guar gum – a thickening agent

Five eco-activists were arrested after demonstrators covered the outside of the Bank in a substance made of a mixture of black pond dye and guar gum – a thickening agent

Activists staged the 'elaborate April Fool's prank' to object against the role they say banks play in the climate crisis

Activists staged the ‘elaborate April Fool’s prank’ to object against the role they say banks play in the climate crisis

XR said its actions were aimed at those who are ‘recklessly endangering our future for profit’.

In 2019, eight people were arrested after XR activists tried to spray fake blood at the Treasury building in Westminster.

That year the group also caused widespread disruption by blockading areas of the capital for days.