Banken-Prozesse

What it's all about - fossil banks and courageous activists

Let’s remember: In the early morning of July 8, 2019, hundreds of people blocked the entrances to the Crédit Suisse headquarters on Zurich’s «Paradeplatz» and to the UBS headquarters in «Aeschenvorstadt» in Basel. The activists message sent by the blockade was clear: close the money-tap for all investors financing the climate catastrophe!

With its global investments in fossil fuels, the Swiss financial center are responsible for the equivalent of twenty times Swiss domestic emissions. The big banks Crédit Suisse and UBS are significantly involved. Although they do not directly produce oil, coal or gas themselves, they finance projects that do. In doing so, they fuel a climate warming scenario of 4 - 6° Celsius. They should finally be held accountable for this!

Commitment to climate justice continues to the courtroom - Bank Trials!

During the evacuation of the blockades, the police arrested about 100 activists who were held for up to 48 hours. One activist who did not reveal his identity was not released for 23 days. The public prosecutor’s office ordered hundreds of hearings, DNA samples, heavy fines and prison sentences (on probation) as well as expulsions of up to three years for activists without residence in Switzerland.

We object to this and are taking the banks to court instead. While activists are now anticipating costs of at least 200,000 Swiss francs, UBS and Crédit Suisse continue to finance fossil energy. In 2019 alone these investments amounted to more than 21 billion or to be exact; 21 billion 82 million 695 thousand 713 US dollars. (source: https://www.ran.org/bankingonclimatechange2020/)

We are now asking for 42,164 CHF, two millionths of the sum that UBS and Crédit Suisse invested in fossil energies in 2019 - in full knowledge that this will not be the last time we will collect money for the banking trials.

Together we will put the banks on trial!

In the summer of 2019, journalists from around the world reported on the bank blockades in Zurich and Basel. This was the first time that the role the major Swiss banks play in the climate crisis was so widely discussed.

UBS, Crédit Suisse as well as the Swiss financial center were put under international pressure.

We want to use the bank trials to continue to build on this success and for this we need you! We are the last generation who can curtail the climate crisis. Political acts of civil disobedience are a necessary means in the fight against these abuses of power.

In its report on climate and the financial market published in November 2020 the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) states: «The Swiss financial market continues to invest significantly not only in oil and coal production, but also in its further expansion. This is not in line with the objectives of the Paris agreement to make financial flows climate-friendly».

Your contribution will help:

• to pay the legal costs and fines of activists, enabling us all to continue the fight for climate justice.

• Pay legal fees to ensure our activists are well defended.

• Enable a witness to travel to the court so that not only the public prosecutors are heard, but also financial and climate experts.

• To print flyers to mobilize people for the actions and demonstrations at the trials.