Wimbledon fans met by pro-Palestinian activists outside tournament in protest against Barclays sponsorship

A group of pro-Palestinian activists were seen gathering outside Wimbledon this morning, Monday July 1, voicing their opposition to Barclay's sponsorship of the event. The activists used a giant tennis ball and strawberries "tainted with Palestinian blood" as part of their protest.

Organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, around 100 demonstrators assembled outside Wimbledon's main entrance for the protest. The protest included a giant tennis ball emblazoned with "Barclays sponsors Wimbledon and genocide" alongside platters of strawberries drizzled in red sauce, along with the words "Wimbledon strawberries tainted with Palestinian blood, courtesy of Barclays."

Spectators queuing for the event were met with chants from the protesters, which included compelling cries to "stop bombing schools, and stop bombing hospitals." Meanwhile, a speaker played the Italian song "Bella Ciao," as participants held a sign that read "Stop The Genocide."

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Londoner Lewis Backon, 28, and a representative for the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, accused Barclays of investing in companies that supply weaponry used against Palestinians by Israel.

He stated: "The official partner of Wimbledon is Barclays Bank, and Barclays is financing, to the tune of billions of pounds, companies supplying weapons and military technology that Israel is using in its genocidal assault on Palestinians in Gaza. So we're saying, Barclays, you can't hide."

He continued: "You can't use tennis as a shield to improve your reputation and to hide from accountability for your role in financing Israel's genocide and apartheid against Palestinians. I think Wimbledon should end their sponsorship with Barclays. They shouldn't allow Barclays to use tennis to hide from accountability as a shield to improve their reputation when they're so complicit in Israel's devastating attacks."

He also highlighted that many fans 'feel angry' about the sponsorship: "We hope before going in a lot of Wimbledon fans will be here joining us engaging with us and also demanding that their sport, tennis, shouldn't be used like this to provide cover for a bank which is financing genocide."

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