Protesters take fake bomb to Glasgow office sparking police

Extinction Rebellion Scotland members have occupied AIG's insurance company offices on St Vincent Street this morning.

The climate change activists are demanding the company does not insure fossil fuel projects, including ‘carbon bomb’ plans that will have a ‘catastrophic’ global impact.

Police are on the scene (Image: Colin Mearns)

Police were pictured guarding the building (Image: Colin Mearns)

They carried a two-metre diameter black sphere presenting a carbon bomb from Glasgow Central to the offices.

Nine activists have now gathered in the front foyer wearing messages on their shirts saying: RULE OUT: EACOP, RULE OUT: TMX, RULE OUT ADANI, RULE OUT: WCM, STOP INSURING: FREEPORT LNG and STOP INSURING: ICHTHYS LNG.

They also have banners saying “Don’t Insure Fossil Fuels” and “No carbon bombs” and are delivering a letter to AIG as well as insurance companies Hiscox and Zurich.

A procession organised by Extinction Rebellion (XR) gathered outside AIG's office to support the occupation before it visits Hiscox and Zurich.

Protesters spotted in the city (Image: Colin Mearns)

Pictured: protest troupe dressed head to toe in black. (Image: Colin Mearns)

The procession was led by a piper, a single drummer and the Oil Slicks, a protest troupe dressed head to toe in black.

Protestors held banners and placards saying “Hiscox! Don’t insure our extinction” and “AIG! Insure our future, not fossil fuels”.

Protesters carried a fake bomb to the building (Image: Colin Mearns)

Protesters held huge banners (Image: Colin Mearns)

AIG is a major global insurer headquartered in the US, offering services in more than 70 countries and jurisdictions.

It's a major insurer of US coal mines and has not yet ruled out insuring carbon bomb projects such as the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), the Trans Mountain tar sands oil pipeline (TMX) or the Adani Carmichael coal mine, despite dozens of other insurers committing to staying away from these projects.

Protesters have sat down in the building (Image: Colin Mearns)

It has also not ruled out insuring the West Cumbria Mine (WCM) and is an insurer of the Freeport LNG export facility in Freeport, Texas.

Gary Jack from XR Highlands & Islands and Moray said: “Insurance is the achilles heel of the fossil fuel industry.

“Without insurance, carbon bomb projects like the East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline or the West Cumbria coal mine cannot go ahead.

“As climate change worsens, insurance becomes a riskier business with increased claims for them, and increased costs for their customers.

“AIG and other companies are also insuring the climate crisis whilst abandoning communities and regions affected by climate disasters where they can't make money.

"Rising insurance costs were the main factor in activists halting the UK's Cambo and Canada’s Bay du Nord (Equinor) projects.

"Insurance companies must rule out fossil fuel projects to insure our future, by reducing the risk of climate catastrophe.”

Protesters stood outside the building (Image: Colin Mearns)

Val King, 64, farm owner, said: "Insurance companies are ignoring the warnings of the United Nations, the International Energy Agency and climate science and are insuring new oil and gas projects, known as carbon bombs.

“These carbon bombs will accelerate global warming, which is already exceeding scientists’ predictions.

"We call on AIG and other companies to stop insuring new and expanded fossil fuels and instead insure our future by supporting a just transition to a renewable future.

“Don’t be fooled by arguments of energy security as they are used to help oil and gas make more money at the cost of our future. Without insurance, these carbon bombs won’t go ahead."

AIG have been contacted for comment.