Tag: protest

Young climate activist reunited with her protest artwork ahead of major exhibition

nms.ac.uk 
perthmuseum.co.uk/watersrising 

A placard created by an eight-year-old climate activist during the School Strike for Climate in 2019, will go on display for the first time in a major new exhibition at Perth Museum.

Bridget, now 14, from Edinburgh has been reunited with her artwork at the National Museums Collection Centre before it goes on loan to Perth Museum for Waters Rising, opening 8 November 2024. 

The placard depicts the Earth as a melting ice cream cone, drawn in felt tip pen on a used cardboard box with a tree branch from Bridget’s garden as a handle. It was created for the School Strike for Climate, or Fridays for Future, demonstration outside the Scottish Parliament on 15 February 2019.   

This youth-led protest movement was started by Greta Thunberg in 2018 and has since involved millions of young people around the world who skip Friday classes to demand action against climate change.  

Bridget said: “My design was inspired by School Strike for Climate protests around the world, thinking about the climate emergency I could imagine the Earth melting like an ice cream.

“When I took part in the protest I was 8 –years old and I felt involved in a really big thing, but I never imagined my artwork would end up in a museum collection or part of an exhibition. It’s a really lovely thought that future generations might see this movement and hopefully know that we made a difference.” 

Waters Rising is an exploration of the impact of flooding and climate breakdown on local Scottish communities and around the world. Bridget’s placard is one of a collection of objects going on loan from National Museums Scotland to the exhibition with the support of players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

Highlights include a medallion and passport for citizens of the ‘Govan Free State’ produced by GalGael Trust to coincide with COP26, the United Nations Climate Change Conference held in Glasgow in 2021. 

Ashleigh Hibbins, Head of Audiences and Learning at Culture Perth and Kinross said: “We are so excited to be able to include this important piece of modern Scottish history in the Waters Rising exhibition at Perth Museum.

“Young people are the least responsible yet most impacted by the climate crisis, so it is critical that their voices and perspectives are heard. We hope visitors to the exhibition will be inspired by Bridget’s piece and others to take action against environmental breakdown.” 

National Museums Scotland is committed to positively engaging audiences with themes of climate change and biodiversity loss through public programmes, research, and by collecting contemporary material associated with these themes. 

Mhairi Maxwell, Curator of Modern & Contemporary History at National Museums Scotland said: “I am delighted that Bridget’s protest artwork is going on display for the first time. The placard perfectly captures a young Scot’s perspective on the climate crisis.

“I am so pleased we can work with Perth Museum to share our contemporary collections and highlight the experiences of Scottish people in the face of this global emergency. Thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery for their support of our national partnership programme.” 

This loan is part of National Museums Scotland’s National Strategy, which sees collections and expertise shared through loans, participation in national projects, community engagement, funding for acquisitions and free knowledge and skills development opportunities for museums across Scotland.

Over 2500 objects are currently on loan to Scottish organisations, bringing the National Collection to audiences across the country. 

Global Warming? Knit in my name!

KNITTERS URGE FIRST MINISTER NOT TO CROSS CLIMATE ‘RED LINE’

A group of concerned citizens calling themselves the ‘North Sea Knitters’ gathered outside the Scottish Parliament yesterday to knit a ‘red line’, representing the critical limit of 1.5 degrees of global temperature rise.

Taking place during Scottish Climate Week, as the ‘Knitting for Climate’ group gathers outside the EU Parliament in Brussels, the North Sea Knitters’ message was simple: the Scottish Government needs to stop blaming the climate crisis on individuals and use its powers to speed the phase out of fossil fuels.

The group spoke to MSPs and gave out their famous hand-knitted red scarves to remind them not to lose sight of the 1.5 degrees limit of warming enshrined in the Paris Agreement.

Several MSPs including the First Minister could be seen sporting the red scarves and discussing vital climate issues like the Stop Rosebank campaign, the Peterhead gas power station, and the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty.

The Scottish Government is currently considering whether to approve a controversial new gas burning power station in Peterhead which would prolong the lifetime of the fossil fuel industry and lock the public into high energy bills and fuel poverty.

Chris Aldred, a member of the North Sea Knitters Group, said: “Knitting is a craft that has been passed down through generations. It symbolises the hope that we can pass on, not just our skills, but a thriving future for all that come after us.

“The knitted red line represents the 1.5C threshold of dangerous planetary warming that nations have committed not to cross. Our scarves are being created through concern, uncertainty and fear for the future, but also through our joy, love and unity.

“The Scottish Government says that climate is a priority but it must turn these words into concrete action to cut pollution now and into the future. This means using its power to firmly reject new fossil fuels, standing up to the oil industry and prioritising the needs of workers through the transition.

“We are allied with our European friends in Knitting for Climate, a movement of people using the art of knitting to express concern over climate change and inadequate political response to the crisis that is already affecting us all. Through our grassroots efforts, we demand climate justice.”

The knitters’ demands for the Scottish Government are:

 + Refuse all on-shore planning permission for fossil fuel infrastructure, including the proposed new gas plant at Peterhead.
 + Oppose and work to halt extraction from all new oil and gas fields, including Rosebank.
 + Ensure all public subsidies and tax concessions to fossil fuel companies are revoked.
 + Back the call for a Fossil Fuel Non Proliferation Treaty.
 + Ensure that workers and communities have a Just Transition to renewables, without allowing the fossil fuel industry to call the shots for the transition.

Musical protest demands UK Government ‘Pay Our Climate Debt’

A coalition of climate justice campaigners staged a musical demonstration and banner protest at the UK Government’s offices in Edinburgh yesterday to call on the Government and corporations to end fossil fuels and pay their fair share of the climate finance owed to countries most impacted by climate change.

The activists rewrote the lyrics to classic songs such as Abba’s ‘Money, Money, Money’ and the Proclaimers’ ‘500 miles’ to get their message across.

Abba chorus:
“Money money money // Nothing’s funny // In an unequal world.  
Money, money, money // It’s way too sunny // In a colonial world.”

Proclaimers’ chorus:
“But we would walk five hundred miles // And we would walk five hundred days // Just to be the ones who see 5 trillion smiles // Because WHO OWES MUST PAY.”

Campaigners from groups including Friends of the Earth Scotland, Extinction Rebellion Scotland, Global Justice Now Scotland, Divest Lothian, Stop EACOP Edinburgh and Edinburgh Quakers highlighted the role that UK fossil fuel companies, and the UK in general, have played in fuelling the climate crisis. 

The groups demand the UK Government end our reliance on fossil fuels in a way that is ‘fast, fair and forever’ and to stop climate-wrecking projects like the controversial Rosebank oil field off the coast of Shetland. 

Joy Reyes from Friends of the Earth Philippines spoke at the rally saying: “The people of the global south are not asking for pity or mercy, we are demanding our right to a future lived with dignity.

“We are demanding that the Global North and the fossil fuel companies, who profit while our people suffer, pay up. For every life lost, for every farm ruined, for every home destroyed and for every future ripped away from us, pay up!

“It is time for the perpetrators of this crisis to pay for what they have done.”

Sally Clark, Divestment Campaigner with Friends of the Earth Scotland said: “With catastrophic wildfires in Portugal and terrible flooding in Nigeria this week alone, it has never been more urgent for our governments to stop funding oil and gas companies like BP, Shell and TotalEnergies that are fuelling climate breakdown and harm to communities around the world. 

“As one of the first countries to profit from fossil fuels, the UK has a greater responsibility to pay our climate debt to countries which have done the least to cause the climate crisis but which are already suffering the most. 

“By ending our funding of climate-wrecking fossil fuels and instead investing in genuine climate solutions like social housing and wind and solar power, the Government can protect communities, create new green jobs and ensure a liveable planet for everyone.”

Campaigners are calling on governments in the Global North to urgently implement a fast, fair and funded phase out of fossil fuels and to commit to paying a minimum of US$5 trillion per year in public finance to countries in the Global South for the damage that has already been caused by the fossil fuel-driven climate crisis.  

In April, new research revealed that just 57 companies, including BP, Shell, ExxonMobil and TotalEnergies, are directly linked to 80% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions since 2016.  

Among the campaigners’ demands is a call on the UK Government to support the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty and to stop funding companies responsible for new fossil fuel projects such as the Rosebank oil field and the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) in Uganda and Tanzania which is predicted to produce 379m tonnes of climate-heating pollution if it is completed. 

Cathy Allen from Stop EACOP Edinburgh said: “For as long as any of us can remember, the UK government has promoted the myth that they kindly donate generous aid to poor countries.

“This narrative could not be further from the truth.  The reality is that the UK government along with the rest of the Global North is defaulting on what it owes the Global South – collectively at least $5 trillion per year as compensation for the immense consequences of climate change. 

“Payment for our part in this catastrophe would inevitably involve significant taxation of the fossil fuel industry and would thus also act as a deterrent to that sector’s unfettered rampage on the planet, resulting in a rare win-win situation.”

The rally was one of many actions taking place across the UK and around the world for the ‘Pay Up for Climate Finance’ Day of Action which marks the culmination of the Global Week of Action for Climate Finance and a Fossil-Free Future. 

Tyrone Scott from War on Want said: “We’re taking action here in the UK and across the world because wealthy countries in the Global North, such as the UK, have long made big promises on tackling the climate crisis — but have so far failed to deliver the resources needed to honour them.

“Those who are facing the worst consequences of our reliance on fossil fuels have done the least to cause this crisis, yet face the worst effects. Against this backdrop, the UK refuses to pay up its fair share in climate finance and reparations to help countries adapt to and mitigate against a crisis they have not caused.”

Public Protest: Plans remain in place to keep communities safe

First Minister John Swinney held further talks with Police Scotland yesterday to receive a further update on preparedness should any disorder emerge in Scotland over the weekend.

Throughout the week the First Minister has remained in regular contact with Police Scotland to discuss the ongoing situation and support work to promote community cohesion across the country. 

Earlier this week he brought faith and refugee community leaders together and held talks with leaders of political parties and Police Scotland to unequivocally condemn all forms of violence, prejudice and Islamophobia. 

The First Minister has also written to X, Meta and TikTok to ask what action they are taking to combat the spread of misinformation, and to address racist and hateful material on their platforms.

The First Minister said: “The last few days have been a challenging and worrying time for many with the scenes of violence unfolding in other parts of the United Kingdom.

“I would like to thank Police Scotland for their continued work to protect our communities. Their ongoing engagement across Scotland and enhanced patrols are vital to support community cohesion and ensure public safety.

“We remain vigilant to the potential for disorder in Scotland and I have been reassured by Police Scotland that it has the capability and resources in place to respond should we face similar challenges, and that plans and preparations are in place to ensure everybody is kept safe.

“While officers and staff are doing their part to keep us all safe – there is no place in Scotland for hatred of any kind, and each of us has a responsibility to confront racism and religious prejudice, including islamaphobia, wherever and whenever it appears, and do all we can to strengthen community cohesion.”

Assistant Chief Constable Gary Ritchie said: “Officers right across Scotland continue to provide reassurance to communities across the country through enhanced patrols and direct engagement.

“You may see more officers in our towns and cities and we are closely monitoring the situation to ensure any potential for violence or disorder in Scotland is identified quickly and responded to immediately.”

Anger as Lothian Pension Fund increases fossil fuel investments

Climate justice campaigners have condemned the Lothian Pension Fund for increasing its investments in fossil fuels despite the worsening climate emergency. 

The latest investment holdings list from the Lothian Pension Fund reveals that the fund’s investments in oil and gas companies have risen in value to £208m in 2024 from £166m in 2022. This increase is driven by the purchase of additional shares rather than changes in the market value of existing holdings and has arisen despite Edinburgh and East Lothian councils passing motions in 2022 calling on the fund to divest from fossil fuels in order to tackle the climate crisis.

The Lothian Pension Fund is the second biggest fossil fuel investor of all the council pension funds in Scotland. It invests in some of the world’s biggest climate polluters, including TotalEnergies, Exxon Mobil, Eni, Equinor, Shell and BP.

TotalEnergies, now Lothian Pension Fund’s largest fossil fuel investment following a recent significant purchase of additional shares, is currently developing the East African Crude Oil Pipeline. If completed, the pipeline will stretch 1,444km across Uganda and Tanzania, to pump oil out of new oil fields in Uganda to be exported on the international market. It would produce 379m tonnes of carbon emissions if it goes ahead.

Joan Forehand from campaign group Divest Lothian said: “It is appalling that the Lothian Pension Fund is choosing to invest even more of its members’ pensions in companies that, despite responsible investors’ efforts over many years to get them to change course, are doubling down on oil and gas expansion plans. 

“The science is clear: we need to rapidly transition away from fossil fuels to avoid catastrophic climate breakdown, and the economic collapse that would bring. Increasing investment in the fossil fuel industry highlights the failure of the Lothian Pension Fund to adequately assess climate change risk in its financial modelling.”

Sally Clark, divestment campaigner at Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: “It’s unbelievable that despite the worsening climate crisis and clear support for ending fossil fuel investments from councillors in Edinburgh and East Lothian, Lothian Pension Fund has actually increased investments in fossil fuels. 

“These fossil fuel companies are driving climate breakdown and the pension fund’s managers have a responsibility to act in the best interests of their members and future generations. 

“The money moved away from fossil fuels could instead be invested in ways that support local communities and protect the planet for everyone, like renewable energy. As skyrocketing energy bills are plunging millions of people into fuel poverty across the UK, this transition is more important than ever.” 

Jane Herbstritt, climate campaigner at Global Justice Now added: “Despite the certainty of the climate emergency, TotalEnergies is pressing ahead with its climate-wrecking development of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline – displacing local communities and destroying the environment in order to profit from pumping out more new oil than can be safely burned.

“It is wholly irresponsible for the Lothian Pension Fund to give its backing to this by increasing its investment in TotalEnergies, particularly when councillors in Edinburgh and East Lothian have voted for the pension fund to divest from oil and gas.”

Divest Lothian is calling on the pension fund’s managers to stop investing in fossil fuels and to instead invest in renewable energy and social housing in order to prioritise the long-term health and well-being of its members and of communities around the world. 

LINDA GARCIA: A Tribute

Despite leaving North Edinburgh for the bright lights in London when she was only 17, Linda never forgot where she came from and was  very proud of North Edinburgh , its people and the community’s long history of  fighting injustice (writes LYNN McCABE).  

She felt very strongly about inequality and social justice and although she had a  comfortable life  and could have spent her retirement years with her feet up, she chose to  get involved in her old  community and do what she could to try to improve things.

She  was  passionate about education and was a great advocate for   lifelong learning  and  signed up for a variety of  courses which covered some of the topics she was interested in including Scottish history,  politics, the Scots language  and the arts.   Even when she wasn’t attending a   class, she was always researching something and was  keen to share  her learning with others.

She joined the Power to the People group in 2012, a new project developed by local activists who wanted to study  the history of protest in Scotland through the  arts.  It was a perfect fit for Linda with her passion for politics, Scottish history and the arts. 

The class ran for  a number of years and brought together people who were new to activism as well as people who had been involved in community  politics and the trade unions.  

Linda  was really interested in listening to everyone’s views  but  was more than capable of  holding her own  during the  many heated debates that took place each week!

Through the years,  the focus of the class moved from studying the history of  protest to actually taking part in protests!  Members of the  Power to the People group got involved in many local issues   including cuts to local services and the campaign to stop the eviction of local families from their homes.  

Linda was at the heart of these protests helping to design placards and banners  and was actively involved  in a sit-in at the local housing office and  a protest that ended up  taking over   Ruth Davidson’s constituency office.    She also took part in numerous protests  outside the city chambers every year in response to proposals to cut vital local services.   

Having exhausted the subject of the history of protest in Scotland over a 2 year period, Linda and her class mates from the Power to the People group decided it was time to undertake another research project where the focus was closer to home. 

This project  was going to focus on North Edinburgh’s  history  and would cover some of the big industrial, housing and political changes in the area over the last century.  It turned out that  there was too many interesting things which they felt  could not be missed out so the history timeline began  with the Roman encampment in Cramond!

The information the group unearthed was fascinating and highlighted how central North Edinburgh was  to Scotland’s history.   

On the completion of this research, Linda and a few other folk from the group decided their next priority would be to promote  North Edinburgh’s  hidden  history and over a number of years they  developed heritage walks, a history hub down at Madelvic and  led a successful campaign to protect and restore the Granton Castle Walled Garden.   

Linda remained actively involved in all these  projects  even as her health deteriorated  and was instrumental  in helping to preserve the area’s  cultural heritage.

Another passion of Linda’s was arts and culture.  She  felt strongly about the need for the arts to be accessible to everyone.  She was a regular visitor at the city’s art galleries and  kept her eye out for new exhibitions  and cultural events which were heading  to Edinburgh. 

She was quick to share this information with all the  groups and projects she was connected with  which ensured that  local folk from  didn’t miss out.

Linda was very good with her hands and was one of the  stitchers involved in creating the Prestonpans tapestry, The Diaspora Tapestry for the Homecoming and the Great Tapestry of Scotland. 

She almost succeeded in convincing  her friends from North Edinburgh to embark on a new project called the Great Tapestry of North Edinburgh which was going to cover key historical events  and famous people associated with  North  Edinburgh.  Everyone was really excited about the idea of this project, until they realised that they were going to have to be involved in doing the stitching! 

Despite a really positive meeting with Andrew Crummy who had designed the other tapestries, the consensus amongst the group was that it was a good idea but none of them were likely to be alive to see the tapestry completed so sadly that project didn’t come to pass! 

Another  passion  of Linda’s was womens’ rights and so on Wednesday afternoons she would catch up with her pals from the Women’s International Group (WIG) who ran   a programme of informal learning opportunities  for local women. 

The group also  organised numerous events including womens’ health and well-being days, hustings, and public meetings on local issues and made history when they  became the first singing deputation at a full council meeting.   

Being local women, the  Women’s International Group were well aware of all the strong  North Edinburgh women who had came before them  and made a point of  celebrating their achievements and the achievements of inspirational women from  around the world at their annual international womens day events. 

Linda was always  at the heart of these gatherings and did presentations,  took her turn at  chairing the event, read poetry but  was equally happy to do the register or  make the tea and coffee.  

 Linda’s  passion for her community continued through the last few years of her life.  She would regularly email me funding information or links to materials which she thought would be useful. 

Despite her  health issues, she remained interested in what was happening in North Edinburgh and regularly shared words of support and encouragement to the  friends  she had made in the community over the years. 

Linda was most definitely a North Edinburgh ‘wummin’ through and through and will be missed by all who knew her. 

Lynn McCabe

Community Learning and Development Worker

Royston Wardieburn Community Centre

SSE AGM protest calls out fossil fuel ‘greenwash’

Energy giant SSE faced protests outside its AGM in Perth today from people concerned about the company’s role in driving climate breakdown and fuel poverty.

The protests were prompted by SSE’s plans to build a new gas burning power station at Peterhead, despite the existing plant at that site already being Scotland’s biggest climate polluter.  Friends of the Earth Scotland highlighted the fact that, despite the company’s marketing and green image, it owns 14 fossil fuel power stations and 60% of SSE’s energy generation capacity comes from burning fossil fuels.

Free to use, press quality photos will be available shortly at https://scot.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b5ad0d61b2a67d22c68bf7d8d&id=2a3d8e7b56&e=195fc3d780

Protesters spoke to shareholders attending the AGM urging them to challenge the company’s plans to build new fossil fuel power stations and force prepayment meters into homes.

Fuel Poverty Action, who also organised the demonstration, focused on the energy giant’s £2.4billion in profits last year whilst a third of households were forced into fuel poverty in Scotland. SSE continues to force-fit pre-payment meters on people in energy debt which ultimately causes people who use the least amount of energy to pay the most for it.

Other activists disrupted the AGM from the inside, interrupting the Board’s address and imploring SSE to drop their plans for more gas burning developments.

Over 40 climate groups recently wrote to the Scottish Government urging them to reject SSE’s planning application to build a new gas power station at Peterhead.

Friends of the Earth Scotland Oil and Gas Activism Organiser Freya Aitchison commented: “SSE are getting rich from burning gas to make electricity, and the company is plotting even more climate damage with its plans for a new gas power station at Peterhead. We’re at their AGM to tell the company’s shareholders that there is no future in fossil fuels.

“The Peterhead proposals would guarantee demand for gas, meaning that Scottish homes will spend the next 25 years paying sky high energy bills which are set by the international price of fossil fuels. Building new gas infrastructure would be a terrible deal for the Scottish public, lock in climate pollution and undermine the transition to renewable energy.

“SSE cannot continue to try and greenwash the fact that the majority of its energy generation capacity comes from fossil fuels. The climate movement has stopped big polluters in their tracks before – from the fracking industry, to the Cambo oil field and the Hunterston power station.”

Lucia Harrington, Organising Lead at Fuel Poverty Action, said: “SSE is a company that continues to profit from people’s poverty and continues to force-fit prepayment meters onto people in energy debt.

“This behaviour is what has led to hundreds of preventable deaths in Scotland and we are here to hold them to account.”

Improving the planning and regulation of processions

Action to ensure safe and peaceful assembly  

New proposals to improve the planning and regulation of public processions and marches are to be introduced to uphold the rights of safe and peaceful assembly. 

An Action Group, set up to consider how to better facilitate processions, has set out six recommendations in a newly published report, which have been accepted by the Scottish Government, the local authority group COSLA, and Police Scotland. 

The recommendations include: 

  • extending a pilot programme – following successful evaluation in April 2024 – to train stewards and marshalls to build their capacity to plan, prepare and manage processions and other forms of public gathering in a safe way 
  • developing a minimum standard for information provided on the notification process for processions
  • providing consistent information on local authority websites that ensures transparency and confidentiality
  • statutory organisations, including local authorities, Police Scotland and the Scottish Government, to work together so information they provide relating to marches is clear and easy to understand
  • developing or improving training packages for local authority officials and elected members to enable the sharing of good practice to facilitate peaceful public processions and on how to protect human rights
  • consideration of an annual review mechanism that contributes to the sharing of best practice and learning of the management of processions. 

Community Safety Minister Siobhian Brown said: “The Scottish Government established the Action Group to ensure that processions are conducted safely and peacefully across the country.

“I am grateful to the members of the group for these carefully considered recommendations, which represent the culmination of extensive work by partners. 

“The freedom of peaceful assembly is a cornerstone of a democratic society and it is vital that the right training, planning and regulations are in place so processions run smoothly, while ensuring those attending and surrounding communities are kept safe. 

 “In accepting the recommendations of the Action Group’s report in full, what is clear is that achieving success must be a joint endeavour. We will work with Police Scotland, COSLA and members of the Group to implement the recommendations as quickly as possible.” 

A COSLA spokesperson said: “COSLA has worked collaboratively with the Scottish Government and Police Scotland through the Action Group on Processions, to work through the conclusions and recommendations of the Report for the Short Life Working Group on Facilitating Peaceful Assembles. 

“In April, the COSLA Community Wellbeing Board endorsed the recommendations of the Action Group, and COSLA Officers will continue to work with partners of the group to deliver these actions.” 

Assistant Chief Constable Gary Ritchie said: “Police Scotland is a rights based organisation.

“We welcome this report as we continue to work with our communities and partners to continually improve our practices and the awareness and visibility of the rights of those who wish to take part in processions.” 

Edinburgh International Book Festival and Baillie Gifford end 20-year partnership

The Edinburgh International Book Festival and Baillie Gifford have ended their 20-year partnership.

The board and management of Edinburgh International Book Festival believe their ability to deliver an event this August that is safe and successful for audiences, authors and staff has been severely compromised, following the withdrawal of several authors and threats of disruption from activists. 

Jenny Niven, chief executive of Edinburgh International Book Festival, said: “It is with great regret that our board of trustees and Baillie Gifford have collectively agreed to end our partnership.

“We are hugely grateful to the firm for its considerable support over two decades, including through some challenging times for the festival, and we are proud of what we’ve achieved together during that time.  

“The pressure on our team has simply become intolerable. We have a major global festival starting in 10 weeks’ time and we need to focus all of our efforts and energy on delivering a safe and successful event for our audiences.

“Undermining the long-term future of charitable organisations such as book festivals is not the right way to bring about change. 

“It diminishes the voices of those who feel strongly about these complex issues, and it will be infinitely harder to build and sustain well-funded cultural institutions in the future than it is to put them out of business today.

“We speak to all our supporters about these complex issues and continue to believe that Baillie Gifford is part of the solution in transitioning towards a more sustainable world and that the firm operates in line with our Ethical Fundraising policy.” 

Allan Little, chair of the Edinburgh International Book Festival, said: “Our team cannot be expected to deliver a safe and sustainable festival this August under the constant threat of disruption from activists. This was a pragmatic response to that reality.  

“Funding for the arts is now in a perilous position and we should all be clear that without the support of our partners and donors, the future of festivals like ours – and all of the benefits these events bring to authors and readers alike – is in jeopardy.

“We are a charity that provides an important platform for authors and readers of all views and political opinions to agree, disagree, challenge, and provoke. Book festivals around the world are  forums in which rigorous, intelligent debate can take place. Our festival should be a place where progressive and nuanced discussion can happen in a safe and respectful space. 

“Indeed, our programme this year is designed to give a voice to those directly affected by conflict and those engaged at the most senior levels in its resolution. We will explore the real challenges involved in transition, green tech and climate finance, misinformation and the need for new economic models. 

“We are determined to have those debates and to have them out in the open, but we need everyone to come to the table. We have made several invitations to Fossil Free Books, and other groups, to attend this year’s festival and regret that they have not responded to those offers.”

Nick Thomas, partner, Baillie Gifford, said: “Our collaboration with the Edinburgh International Book Festival, spanning decades, was rooted in our shared interest in making Edinburgh a thriving and culturally vibrant place to live and work.

“In recent years we have been proud to support the Schools’ and Children’s programmes, providing free books and creating opportunities for young readers to meet authors.

“The activists’ anonymous campaign of coercion and misinformation has put intolerable pressure on authors and the festival community. We step back with the hope that the festival will thrive this year and into the future. We hold the activists squarely responsible for the inhibiting effect their action will have on funding for the arts in this country.

“Baillie Gifford is a long-term investor with high ethical standards and a complete focus on doing what is right by our clients. The assertion that we have significant amounts of money in the Occupied Palestinian Territories is offensively misleading. Baillie Gifford is a large investor in several multinational technology companies, including Amazon, NVIDIA, and Meta.

“Demanding divestment from these global companies, used by millions of people around the world, is unreasonable and serves no purpose. Much as it would be unreasonable to demand authors boycott Instagram or stop selling books on Amazon.

“Nor is Baillie Gifford a significant fossil fuel investor. Only 2% of our clients’ money is invested in companies with some business related to fossil fuels. We invest far more in companies helping drive the transition to clean energy. 

“We remain committed to contributing positively to our community through philanthropic support.”

This year’s Edinburgh International Book Festival will take place from 10 – 25 August, with the full programme due to be launched next week (Tuesday 4th June).

Baillie Gifford has supported the Edinburgh International Book Festival since 2004. The firm’s funding for this year’s book festival has already been provided and deployed.