‘We will be here indefinitely!’ was the defiant message on Tuesday night from the anti-capitalist occupiers who have built up a ‘tent city’ outside St Paul’s Cathedral.
Young occupier Ev Emanon said: ‘When the church told us about the health and safety issues we moved all the tents apart.
‘The church set up their own fire escape and we have cleared the steps when it has come to the services.
‘As “Anonymous UK” we have our own fire extinguishers!’
Emanon alleged: ‘Some of the council members that run the church are bankers and stock exchange workers.
‘This has nothing to do with health and safety.
‘They are trying to organise a publicity stunt against us and they are trying to attempt to remove public support and create conditions to remove us.
‘We are not going to go, we will be here indefinitely.
‘We have had a lot of people coming into the camp and shaking our hands and showing support.
‘This is a worldwide protest. Over 1,000 cities in 82 countries have young people and older people occupying!’
Lougi James said: ‘I agree with the declaration that is on the ‘info tent’ that this is a movement that refuses to pay for the bankers’ crisis.
‘We are living in a capitalist society and it is inevitably going to crumble.’
Ben Castelan said: ‘If I could pinpoint one grievance that angers me the most, it is our politicians, who are apparently elected, are in fact for sale to large corporations namely arms corporations, oil and finance capital.
‘I would advocate a government that actively has a stake in governing for the people instead of just presiding over them.’
Gerrard a young worker from Poland said: ‘I am here because I like this struggle and I am going to pitch my tent here and stay.
‘The banks cheated me personally twice.
‘They made me take out insurance and I am not from England and I didn’t know anything about insurance.
‘I only found out after a year that I was paying all of this money for nothing.
‘The banking crash is not our fault, especially for poor people. Why should we pay for this crisis?
‘I am against capitalism, that is why we are here.’
Andy Forse, press officer for the Occupy LSX (Occupy London Stock Exchange) speaking in personal capacity said: ‘Occupy LSX has firmly entrenched themselves into the physical and political scenery outside St Pauls and now has spread to Finsbury Square as well.
‘With the day-to-day logistics of the occupation now running smoothly the group is focussing towards developing its political agenda and identifying specific goals of the movement through its democratic process.
‘We are determined in our ambitions to seek significant change in the political and financial institutions.
‘The issues of financial inequality are not going to go away so why should we?
‘We will not move until we see a significant change on these issues.
‘I think capitalism is a fundamentally flawed system. I think we need collective action and empowerment of people coming together to manifest a transition to a productive post-capitalist society and I am a libertarian socialist.
‘Occupying goes right to the heart of capitalist injustice, it defies the concept of ownership and allows us freedoms which would normally be very difficult for us to assemble and organise.’
When asked about the struggle to occupy Chase Farm hospital in Enfield to stop the closure he said:
‘It is an incredibly important movement. There is no greater cause.
‘One of the most significant things that will affect people’s lives in the coming years is the impact of the cuts in the health service.
‘The occupation of Chase Farm will send a very heavy message to the government that people will not stand by and see their jobs and services decimated.’
In relation to the 30th November public sector pensions strike, he said: ‘Anybody who has any respect for the working class and everybody who has ever done a hard day’s work must be out there and stand along side their allies in the struggle against the government cuts.
‘I sincerely hope that it becomes a general strike on the 30th November. We need to take some lessons from Greece about the power of collective action.
‘I think that given the nature of the crisis that we are in and the depth of it, people will realise that it is not going to get better any time soon.
‘This could ignite the flame that will lead to a significantly different society.’
• Meanwhile, the Occupy Wall Street movement that began in New York and has spread around the US and around the globe has posted their latest update from the young people occupying the centre of Baltimore.
Their statement said: ‘Occupy Baltimore has been peacefully gathering in McKeldin Square on the corner of Pratt & Light Streets since October 4th, 2011.
‘Today marks the start of the fourth week of the encampment.
‘Early last week, after pressure from the Baltimore City police department and the department of parks and recreation, Occupy Baltimore filed an application for a permit to continue the encampment indefinitely.
‘On Monday, Occupy Baltimore received word that the Department of Parks & Recreation Department has not approved their permit application, and instead suggested a compromise that would allow
Occupy Baltimore to continue to occupy McKeldin Square indefinitely without a permit during the daytime hours, but limit overnight presence to a maximum of 2 people, and restrict the encampment as a whole to a smaller corner of the Square.
‘The city has asked for an answer to the proposed deal by Wednesday October 26th and stated that if Occupy Baltimore agrees, they will not be removed from the park for failing to obtain a permit.
‘Should Occupy Baltimore refuse to comply with the requests to limit the overnight presence, then the city “has the right to terminate these special accommodations”, though no specific date for termination has been announced.
‘In preparation for any possible intervention by the city, Occupy Baltimore participants are issuing a general call for all allies to join the encampment starting tonight to support and protect the group sustaining the occupation at McKeldin Square.’
