Activists come out to bat for the Canary following Lloyds debanking

On Tuesday 30 June, we reported that the Canary has been debanked by Lloyds. This has left us with little money and considerable stress. And while we’re still in the thick of it, the dread has been eased by the outpouring of support from our friends and allies in the activist sphere.

Solidarity with the Canary

We reported on 30 June that:

Lloyds has not explained why it has taken this action. Despite multiple communications from us, the bank has not been forthcoming with its reasoning.

The Canary is now in a financially precarious situation. We do not know when our money that Lloyds is holding will be returned. Moreover, we do not know how it will affect our ability to get another bank account in the future.

We added:

We do know that multiple other politically engaged people have suffered similar actions by other banks in recent times. It is not lost on us that powerful banks are able to restrict the financial activity of anti-Zionist and pro-Palestine organisations and individuals. Whilst we do not currently know the reasons behind our debanking, we cannot afford to be naive about this.

CAGE International said:

Public Institutions are accountable in a court of law. This can be evaded when big businesses are indirectly influenced to disrupt work of those who oppose aspects of public policy eg support for Israeli genocide.

This is how a corporate security operates to deny due process https://t.co/Kea6UbvKbG

— CAGE International (@CAGEintl) June 30, 2026

CAGE are no strangers to injustice, and we recently covered their efforts to force the government to de-proscribe Palestine Action.

Former Canary editor and current media coordinator at Campaign Against Arms Emily Apple said:

Massive love and solidarity to former colleagues and friends @TheCanaryUK This is an outrageous attack on press freedom and independence at a time when we need independent media more than ever. https://t.co/UBnMX7JeLq

— Emily Apple (@emilyapple) June 30, 2026

Apple was one of those affected by the Spy Cops scandal, so she’s got experience in taking on the establishment and winning. She was also a pivotal member of the Canary team for many years, and one of the people responsible for shaping our brand of activist journalism.

The Youth Media Group, meanwhile, have arranged a ‘phone blockade’ to let Lloyds know people won’t stand for this:

 

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A post shared by YMG (@youth_media_group_uk)

This affects all of us

Mike Galsworthy of Scientists 4 EU and Bylines Network said:

No-one… on the right, centre, left – or any political dimension should celebrate any “de-banking”. We are *all* screwed on basic free-speech & democracy if this trend continues. And I’m increasingly seeing new campaign groups just can’t get bank accounts.

Banking *must* be a public service for all – not just for privileged individuals or orgs that the govt likes. Where pressure groups are involved attacking other campaigns, or there are “reputation” questions, de-banking must be resisted unless laws have been broken.

Galsworthy added:

Banking is becoming a branch of political warfare.

Galsworthy’s Bylines Network pushes for a more diverse and powerful independent media ecosystem.

NHS campaigner Harry Eccles said:

Donated, solidarity comrades.

Boycott @LloydsBank and chip in to support @TheCanaryUK if you can.

Staff need to be paid. This is an outrageous political attack. https://t.co/0PKH2hRKvf

— Harry Eccles (@Heccles94) June 30, 2026

Eccles is a tireless advocate for a free and well-funded NHS, and he’s appeared in many of our articles over the years.

Vice chair of the Stop the War coalition Chris Nineham said:

This is really shocking. @LloydsBank needs to reinstate the Canary and explain what on earth has been going on… https://t.co/E3fw85A03t

— Chris Nineham (@ChrisNineham) July 1, 2026

Just yesterday, we reported on Stop the War Coalition slamming the media for platforming the military industrial complex without questioning their need for ever more spending. The establishment media will not ask the important questions, but Stop the War and others like them will.

Free press

Ahmed Alnaouq, co-founder of We Are Not Numbers, said:

This is a very dangerous precedent, a disgusting attack on free press.

Canary is one of the few free and independent media organisations in the UK.

It must be protected and supported at any cost. https://t.co/ByXOo59df2

— Ahmed Alnaouq (@AlnaouqA) June 30, 2026

As we reported, We Are Not Numbers are “a non-profit that mentors writers in Palestine to help them disseminate their stories in English to a world audience”.

Palestinian journalist Mustafa Abu Sneineh, who worked with the group, said “I think Western journalists are cowards, they are absolute cowards”. This is true, of course, but the benefit of cowardice is that you don’t have to worry about constant attacks like the one we’re facing today.

Gina Miller said:

This is closing down #freespeech #democracy

Our True & Fair Party, was debanked, refused by almost all banks leaving us unable to operate.

Also happened to #Reform @TiceRichard you should be shouting from the rooftops about this!

BREAKING: Canary debanked by Lloyds…

— Gina Miller (@thatginamiller) June 30, 2026

Miller is an activist of the centre, demonstrating that debanking is not a phenomenon which solely affects the right, as she correctly pointed out, and as we’ve covered before:

Scott Ritter is a prominent critic of US and Western imperialism, and has just announced his bank has taken his money

By @skwawkbox https://t.co/vhs766rQgj

— Canary (@TheCanaryUK) January 16, 2026

Solidarity from politicians

Andrew Feinstein said:

This is extraordinary! https://t.co/PF7puihLt8

— Andrew Feinstein (@andrewfeinstein) June 30, 2026

South African Feinstein was an ANC MP under Nelson Mandela; he’s also the independent who stood against Keir Starmer in the 2024 general election. We’d like to say ‘how different things would have been if he’d won’, but as we’re seeing with Starmer’s replacement Andy Burnham, when one centrist falls another takes their place.

Independent councillor James Giles said:

Solidarity with everyone at @TheCanaryUK. This is outrageous @LloydsBank – reinstate the Canary now!!! https://t.co/1E9wOLe58S

— Cllr James Giles (@JamesGilesRBK) June 30, 2026

Giles is an advocate for maximal democracy – something which cannot exist when only some people get to have things like bank accounts or steady incomes.

Several Green Party politicians retweeted stories relating to our debanking, including leader Zack Polanski. But other than that, crickets – even from the left-leaning politicians we frequently cover.

Honestly, we’re not surprised by this, because there are successive generations of British left-wing politicians who think their job is to criticise the establishment – not to replace it. They’ve always kept us at arm’s length, because unlike them we’re not here to ‘tsk-tsk’ at the horrors of the British state; we’re here to put a fucking stop to them.

Thank you from the Canary

There are many more who’ve shown their support, including Jonathan Cook, Jewish Voice for Liberation, Adam Ramsay, Ant Loewenstein, Greens4Palestine, David Rovics, Bella Caledonia, Stella Tsantekidou of Labour List, and Tom London. There are no doubt many more; these are just the ones we saw between writing this piece and worrying about what happens next.

You’ll notice the people who haven’t spoken out, of course, and that’s the journalists and politicians who make up the British establishment. Honestly, they’re smart to stay quiet, because this latest speed bump isn’t going to stop us exposing them – even if they do offer us backhanded solidarity.

They can make us poor, but they can’t make us wrong.

If you want to support the Canary’s efforts, you can do so here.

Featured image via the Canary