More than 15 branches of Barclays bank across England and Scotland have been vandalised by a campaign group called Palestine Action.

The sites had windows smashed and paint thrown as part of a protest calling on the bank to divest from arms companies that sell to Israel, as well as firms linked to fossil fuels.

Palestine Action said branches in Moorgate, Palace Street, Richmond, Croydon, Wellington Road and Peckham in London were targeted, along with Barclays banks in Glasgow, Exeter, Sheffield, Brighton, Northampton, Bristol, Birmingham, Solihull and Preston, Bury and Stockport, as well as an office in Edinburgh.

Activists smashed windows, sprayed red paint and stencilled on the outside of the buildings.

Palestine Action said that in Edinburgh, rocks with the names of Palestinians killed in the conflict written on them were thrown through windows.

The vandalism was a joint action with a newly-formed climate change group called Shut The System.

City of London Police said three men were arrested over the damage to the building in Moorgate.

Palestine Action and Shut The System accused Barclays of having financial interests in selling weapons to Israel and in funding fossil fuel companies.

The groups said “radical direct action tactics” such as these will continue until Barclays stops investing in certain companies.

A spokesperson for Barclays said: “We provide vital financial services to US, UK and European public companies that supply defence products to Nato and its allies.

“Barclays does not directly invest in these companies.​

“The defence sector is fundamental to our national security and the UK Government has been clear that supporting defence companies is compatible with ESG (environmental, social and governance) considerations.

“Decisions on the implementation of arms embargos to other nations are the job of respective elected governments.

“While we support the right to protest, we ask that campaigners do so in a way which respects our customers, colleagues and property.”