News from Occupied London

At 12 O'clock around 1000 people have gathered on the steps outside St Pauls Cathedral, with a mobile sound system keeping the atmosphere going. An aray of anti-cuts plackards and banners are on show with the capitals media clicking away. Mounted police are in the area outside the Stock Exchange. At Paternoster square there are posters up in the advertising mounts stating that the square is private property and that the square is closed. There are also copies of a high court injunction taped around the area prohibiting anyone from occupying. #occupylondon

Lucy's upload

The crowd gathers

High court Injunction

TIMELINE OF EVENTS:

[12.30] The soundsystem has been pushed towards Paternoster Square where the police have re-enforced their line preventing any occupation of the square. Mounted police are being brought in along this line and the media are going crazy as some pushing and shoving starts on the front line. The crowd is chanting "We are the 99% - let us in", and "Fuck Fox News". Tension is starting to mount.

[12.45] Bust cards are being handed out and there are legal observers in the area.
Green and Black Cross Legal Support: 07946 541511
Solicitors: Bindmans 020 7833 4433
HJA: 020 7837 3456

[13.00] The crowd have now moved from this front entrance to Paternoster Sq around the side streets to other enterances, each time blocked by the police lines. They have gone past the front of the Stock Exchange, shouting "let us in", each time attempting to push through police lines. Police dogs have been brought out, and the crowd is spcontinuing to spread around the square increasing in numbers.

[13.10] A large group started to march off towards Bank but were again blocked by a line of police across the road, who started to funnel them back to St Pauls. With Paternoster Square and London Stock Exchange surrounded by protesters (at least symbolically) and the police preventing any entrance. There is now a pause while a general Assembly meeting is taking place outside St Pauls in the sunshine.

[13.15] Messages around the world of other occupations taking place: Brisbaine, New Jersy, South Africa, Rome etc. A large banner is being unfurled on St Paul's steps saying "We are the 99%"

[13.20] Another group to the North of the Sqaure are being prevented from leaving the pedestrian area by police cordons, not quite a 'kettle' but restrictions on the crowds movement.

[13.35] Most people arriving all the time, nice day out in London. Road blocks are being reported around St Paul's station. Fustration is mounting at how the police are restricting peoples movement. A fit team is reported around St Paul's Alley.

[13.45] A group of 100 have taken over the roads outside St Paul's chanting "who's streets - our streets" making sure the poilice dont kettle everyone tighter and tighter on the steps. This group has now picked up in numbers and started off down Ludgate Hill; westwards, and the Fit team is paying alot of attention.

[13.50] A Kettle has been formed at the steps of St Pauls with a line of Riot police moving in, aothough the crowd is showing no signs of any trouble. Reports of seven more riot vans on the move around Newgate St, where another Kettle was reported earlier. The crowd is now getting angry and chanting to get out, the police are claiming this is a temporary situation.

[14.00] The kettle tightens and people are demanding to know why they have been prevented from moving, no answers. A wedding is still going on inside the Catherdral and many tourists coaught up in the crowds. General calm in the area as people can see the police are over reacting.

[14.20] The police are estimating the crowd now at 5,000 which generally means double it. Word coming in that Rome city centre is at a standstill due to the size of their demonstration. A movement that started in Spain in May and spread to Wall Street is now having its first Global Day of Action. Across Europe people are allowed to freely assemble but in the UK political policing has taken over.

[14.30] Estimated 2500 stuck in the Kettle with many more on the outside, Legal teams have been told that people will be allowed to leave once they have been processed and had their photos taken. GBC are making sure people are aware of their rights in this situation as the police take advantage of the confusion and poepl'e desperation to leave. They have openly admitted in Pariament that at past demonstrations that they use these situations as database trawls to build a picture of who dares still to speak out.

[14.35] Reports of a few arrests as the mood changes, including some reoports that Julian Assange (Wikileaks) was made to take off a mask, he is now speaking to the crowd, with them repeating his words so others can hear "What is happening here today is a culmination of dreams, from Cairo to London". Legal observers are prevented form doing their job. Many more police vans arriving and many police are changing into riot gear.

[14.45] Another General Assembly is taking place with at least 50 groups breaking away to discuss what to do now, including as many people as possible. This is an important aspect of this movement that learnt good lesson from the Anti-capitalist movements 10 years ago.

[15.00] A group of police seen changing into plain clothes, could be inoccent but. Rumors abound about the possibility of occupying St Pauls it's self unclear what the crowd want to do next. Other ideas about returning to Patenastor Square where some people seem to be heading.

[15.15] Kettle out the front of St Paul's continues with some people being let out a few at a time at the East end - the West end is closed.

[15.35] The odd skuffle and arrest at the edges but otherwise a very calm crowd. An attempt at a de-arrest failed. A new General Assembly is taking place on the steps.

[15.45]  Police have created a buffer zone of about 50m between the kettle and thew crowd outside it. The police line has cleared ludgate hill, the traffic has satrted to move again, a few assaults by cops but generally very calm atmosphere.

[16.00] Assembly continues on the steps. The police move on a couple cooking noodles on a portable stove.

[16.15] The occupation is in need of: Toilet Paper, thick bin bags, rope, cardboard, tarps, blankets, food and water. They are stating: "Food kitchens, tents etc going up to the left of St Pauls at Temple Bar: our new home!"

[16.40] Peaceful general assembly is being disturbed by the police... rumors of tents being removed.

[17.00] There's a big General Assembly happening at St. Paul's Cathedral, with people being asked to sit down in the square at the front. There are speakers on the cathedral steps, talking to the crowd. Crowd repeats what speaker says - human amplification!

[17.30] The Occupation protest at St Paul's is still going strong. Over 1000 people are still gathered in an assembly. People making speeches and so on. Police cordons still surrounding the crowd.

[17.40] The rules of the kettle surrounding the assembly in seem to be 'relaxing' a bit at the moment. People are allowed to cross the police lines without having to queue up and get filmed if they wish to join the assembly, but it is still not possible to leave the protest unless it is through the police designed cordon.

[17.45] Police made an aggressive incursion into the crowd, people are unsure why. Riot police are acting silly once again casing tension, and the cordon keeps pushing closer on the assembled crowd. Some good pictures of the day.

[18.00] The 'Kettle' is being pushed further from the cathedral with the police setting up new cordons. Around 20 tents up now and more coming. Portaloo's are in place but the police are saying they need to clear the space for St Paul's Sunday Service!

[18.15] Internationally; Rome is Burning, with the demonstartion attacked by teargas and batons. Occupations have taken place in Berlin, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Tokyo, Rome, (list and links coming) The G8 and representatives of the IMF are meeting in Paris no doubt to give the bankers some more money for their piggy banks.
In the UK; Occupations have taken place in Bristol, Birmingham and Nottingham so far as we have heard.

[18.20] The police continue to reduce teh space given over to the 'Kettle' but the crowd say they can still come and go to some degree. A Fox news reporter has been evicted from the space. Some flares being let off by the protesters on steps of St. Paul's.

[18.30] SOAS Drummers and Rhythms of Resistance continue to keep spirits up as the evening gets colder, people dancing to keep warm. Main Stream Media (MSM) is reporting on the occupation in London as against "'alleged' corporate greed", mainly concentrating on Rome and the TV friendly images of burning police vans.

[19.00] Crowd still enjoying the protest, the police are letting people out but no more in. The crowd outside the kettle is still very large with around 2000 people still present.

[19.50] Police have pushed their way up into the steps of St Pauls, shoving peaceful demonstrators down and hitting the crowd. Line of riot police now occupying top of St Pauls steps. Video from Queer Resistance live stream.

[20.00] BBC reports 5 arrests during today's protests. Police have pulled back their dogs for the moment.

[20:25] Assembly still continuing with hundreds of people participating despite poice having cleared the top of the cathedral's steps. Around 20 tents and a caonpy have been set up at St. Pauls square in front of the cathedral. Portaloos have also been brought in.

[20.30] The police have started to push the crowd agin pushing people towards the road, they jumped on a protestor in the road who was carrying a banner. The crowd started shouting for them to stop and out came the dogs again this time moving the crowd further from the front of St Paul's.

[20.40] Clash outside police lines on the road south of St Paul's. People blocking a bus in the street. Looks like there is a stand off between protesters and the Met Police [report & pics] Talk of having another General Assembly tomorrow. A man in a wheelchair was hauled away by police.

[21.30] More tents at St. Paul's. Music and dancing. Jubilant atmosphere. Food supplies running low at occupation. Please come with donations!!!

[21.40] Police have partially cleared road in front of square and are now allowing ppl inside the occupation again.

[22.30] Rumours abound about the police moving to clear the space at 11pm. Occupied London Assembly saying: "assembly meeting 12pm Sunday at st Paul's"

[23.15] Clash outside police lines on road south of st pauls. Pople blocking traffic in the street. Stand off between protesters-and police.

[23.40] GBC are asking for support to those arrested at the police station, call them on GBCLegal 07946 541 511. Occupation still going on with a good party atmosphere but awareness that the police might be waiting for teh last media to go before closing in. At least 60 tents are set up for the night and around 1000 supporters seem determined to stay it through the night.

[07.00] The police are less in number than last night but they are still harrasing people and carrying out searches in the night.

[08.15] Around 500 people have stayed over night outside St Pauls. The Right Reverend Graeme Knowles, the Dean of the Catherdral has endorsed the Occupation (what ever that means) In theory the police can't refuse you entry to church for your safety. There will be an assembly at 12 O'clock. If you are coming down today to show solidarity or to stay, bring warm food and hot drinks for those that have had a cold night.

[Timeline: Day Two continued here]