Occupy London Stock Exchange
Published:
October 16, 2011 10:59
by
amcw
Neighbourhoods: city london stock_exchange st_pauls
'Occupy London Stock Exchange' is unable to gain access the London Stock Exchange and a decision is made to occupy the area in front of St Pauls Cathedral.
Protesters arrive at the steps of St Pauls01
Protesters arrive at the steps of St Pauls02
Protesters arrive at the steps of St Pauls03
Protesters occupy back St pauls04
Protesters occupy back St pauls05
Access to front of St Pauls blocked by police06
Access to front of St Pauls blocked by police07
Access to front of St Pauls blocked by police08
Access to front of St Pauls blocked by police09
Access to front of St Pauls blocked by police10
Access to front of St Pauls blocked by police11
Access to front of St Pauls blocked by police12
Access to front of St Pauls blocked by police13
View of St Pauls occupation pointlessly kettled in by police14
View of St Pauls occupation pointlessly kettled in by police15
News Media present16
View of St Pauls occupation17
St Pauls occupation18
fisty-cuffs at St Pauls occupation19
Police make things poinlessly difficult at St Pauls occupation20
St Pauls occupation21
St Pauls occupation22
The Occupy London Stock Exchange action was barred access to the Stock Exchange and, after a raggle taggle Open Assembly deliberation, the inevitable decision was made to occupy the area around St Pauls Cathedral where the protest had been 'kettled' in and pretty much been unable to move from anyway.
The police then spent most of the action over-containing a peaceful crowd not intent on moving anywhere and enabling the traffic to flow on the surrounding roads. The manner in which the police over react to this and other peaceful public protests is an uncomfortable reminder of how repressive policing has already become in this country, but it is also a more ominous precurser of how nasty policing will get in the next few years as people become more and more affected by the cuts in social provision and working conditions, and the police are necessarily obliged to protect the ruling class' looting spree.
With the complete disregard for the 'rights' to public protest in this country the protest will, in all likelyhood be cleared in the not too distant future., however if the occupation can create a permanent site of discussion and debate then it may well be a great opportunity to move this anti-capitalist movement forward.
Perhaps, as was suggested to me yesterday, setting up multiple smaller (semi)permanent, but regular 'talking/debating occupations' in public areas over London may well be a way forward in bringing ordinary people into the struggle against the suicide capitalists ruling us at present.
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good idea! ...
amcw writes in his report:
"Perhaps, as was suggested to me yesterday, setting up multiple smaller (semi)permanent, but regular 'talking/debating occupations' in public areas over London may well be a way forward in bringing ordinary people into the struggle against the suicide capitalists ruling us at present."
I personally think this is a great idea, it may be less spectacular as a for of action, but it could probably be a way of involving many more people across London. In fact this is the way most square occupation in Spain have developed. After months of occupying squares across the country, most assemblies decided that the time had come for spreading them around the neighburhoods. Smaller assemblies but more involved in the local issues of each barrio. A bigger, general and city-wide assembly can then still be maintained, but it only meets when it is needed to coordinate for specific issues or mobilisations.
In any case, and after having spend the afternoon at St Pauls occupation today, the general feeling there at the moment seems to be to stay 'as long as it takes'. Things will develop as the occupation go on ...