<p>Almost a dozen branches of a national bank were shut down on July 5 amidst safety concerns after green activists gathered en masse in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie to protest the Adani coal mine.</p><p>The Australian reported</a> 11 Commonwealth Bank Australia branches were closed in Newcastle. In a statement, CBA said they temporarily closed their banks “based on information provided by NSW Police.”</p><p>The activists targeted CBA over its continuing relationship with Indian coal company Adani, which is looking for financial backers to build a $16.5 billion mine in central Queensland – an operation that activists believe could potentially devastate the already damaged Great Barrier Reef.</p><p>One of the other national banks, Westpac, ruled out funding the Adani coal project in April amidst backlash</a> from activists. Credit: Front Line Coal Action via Storyful</p><br />
