Several bank branches in downtown Cambridge saw around 40 residents and University students participating in a ‘bail-in’ on Saturday morning. They protested against the recently announced £2.7 million cuts to Cambridgeshire’s bus service.

As part of the nationwide ‘UK Uncut’ movement, the protesters demanded a stop to corporate tax avoidance and a tax for bankers’ bonuses.

“The government gives priority to rich people”, explained Robert Evans, a second-year student at Queens’ who was among the protesters. Barclay’s pays 1 per cent tax, which amounts to £113 million tax on a profit of £11.6 billion every year. “If they paid more tax, we would not need the cuts. It’s no more complex than that”, another protester remarked.

Last week, Cambridgeshire county council approved cuts of £161 million to the public sector, which included the cutting of all subsidised bus routes. “This threatens an end to evening, weekend, hospital and rural services. The buses are relied upon by young, elderly and disabled people, and those on low incomes. And, in a time of environmental crisis, we all know that we need to be vastly increasing spending on public transport”, read the flyer distributed by the activists.

Following the instructions on the ‘UK Uncut’ website (www.ukuncutorg.uk), for a “nice, civilised demonstration” in the form of a ‘bail-in’, Cambridge protesters occupied the Barclay’s branches on Bene’t Street and Market Square for around five and twenty minutes, respectively. One part of the group was carrying banners and appearing in formation, symbolising a bus, and the other part wore masks and paper guns which had ‘evil’ and ‘Barclay’s’ printed on them. They interrupted costumer service for a short period of time by sitting down on the floor and chanting protest verses such as: “Public sector cuts – no way, make the greedy bankers pay”.

"I don’t think the masks and paper guns were a good idea. They might get misrepresented by the paper”, one supporter, who wishes to remain anonymous, admits. The protesters were also demonstrating against Barclay’s and other banks’ involvement in arms investment. “By bailing out the banks, our government is supporting military dictatorships”, said another student.

At 12:30 the police entered the Market Square branch, and asked the protesters to remain on one side of the barrier only. Barclay’s staff were not allowed to comment; however, one employee told Varsity: “We were advised that there would be protests today. Fortunately they are not violent.”

When a staff member closed the curtains of the bank, the protesters continued their ‘bail-in’ at the RBS branch at Trinity Street and through the Lion Yard shopping centre. “There is no plan. We will keep going as long as we have energy”, one protester told Varsity.

The protests were part of a large movement across the country over the weekend. There is likely to be another non-violent, original campaign in Cambridge next weekend.