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Occupy London

Coordinates: 51°30′51″N 0°05′57″W / 51.5141°N 0.0993°W / 51.5141; -0.0993
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Occupy London
Part of the "Occupy" protests
Occupy London Tent
Date15 October 2011 – present
Location
51°30′51″N 0°05′57″W / 51.5141°N 0.0993°W / 51.5141; -0.0993
Caused byEconomic inequality, corporate influence over government, inter alia.
MethodsDemonstration, occupation, protest, street protesters
StatusOngoing
Number
Thousands[1][2]
Casualties and losses
Arrests:
Injuries:
Deaths:
8[3]
0
0

Occupy London is an ongoing peaceful protest against economic inequality, corporate greed and the influence of companies and lobbyists on government taking place in London, United Kingdom which started on 15 October 2011. The protests began in solidarity with the Occupy Wall Street protests in New York, United States.[4][1] To date the protests have been located outside St Paul's Cathedral in the City of London.[1]

The Occupy London protests are backed by the tax avoidance protest group UK Uncut.[5]

Chronology of events

Crowd of protestors on 15 October 2011

On 10 October a campaign was launched on Facebook for protests to take place at the London Stock Exchange on 15 October in solidarity with the Occupy Wall Street protests in New York and with multiple other protests planned worldwide for that day.[6] By 13 October a Facebook page titled 'Occupy London's Stock Exchange' had gained more than 3,000 members who had agreed to attend the event on 15 October, and 'Occupy London' on Twitter had in excess of 1,000 followers.[7]

The London Stock Exchange in Paternoster Square was the initial target for the protestors on October 15. Mid-afternoon on the 15th Julian Assange, the founder of Wikileaks, gave an impromptu speech to the protesters on the topic of anonymity after he was challenged by police for wearing a mask as he walked to the protest.[4][8] Attempts to occupy the square were thwarted by police.[9] Police sealed off the entrance to the square as it was private property, a High Court injunction had been granted against public access to the square.[10]

Protected by the Protestant Church

2,500-3,000 people gathered nearby outside St Paul's Cathedral, with around 250 camping overnight.[9] The canon of St. Paul's, Reverend Giles Fraser, said he was happy for people to "exercise their right to protest peacefully" outside the cathedral.[9][11]

By 17 October an indefinite encampment of around 150 tents together with makeshift tarpaulin shelters was clustered around the west side of St Paul's Cathedral.[12][13][14] On the 17th the Occupy London protesters issued a nine-point manifesto drafted by "an assembly of over 500 people on the steps of St Paul’s [Cathedral]".[3]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Day of 'Global Revolution' comes to London as thousands of demonstrators take over the City". Daily Mail. 15 October 2011. Retrieved 15 October 2011.
  2. ^ ""Occupy Wall Street" protest spreads to London". Xinhua. 15 October 2011. Retrieved 15 October 2011.
  3. ^ a b "'Occupy' protests: activists deliver charter of grievances". The Telegraph. 17 October 2011. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
  4. ^ a b "Occupy London protests in financial district". BBC News. 15 October 2011. Retrieved 15 October 2011.
  5. ^ "Anti-corporate protests to hit London". The Sydney Morning Herald. AFP. 2011-10-12. Retrieved October 12, 2011. Protests against corporate power that have taken hold in the US are to hit Britain on Saturday with a rally in front of the London Stock Exchange. Occupy London Stock Exchange (OccupyLSX) [...] is backed by British anti-austerity group UK Uncut, the London-based Assembly of the Spanish 15M movement and the People's Assemblies Network Global Day of Action.
  6. ^ "Britons to occupy London Stocks on Oct. 15". PressTV. 10 October 2011. Retrieved 15 October 2011.
  7. ^ "Now the protest spreads across the Atlantic: Thousands plan camp in London's financial centre inspired by 'Occupy Wall Street' campaign". Daily Mail. 13 October 2011. Retrieved 15 October 2011.
  8. ^ "Julian Assange joins London anti-corporate rally". Hindustan Times. 15 October 2011. Retrieved 15 October 2011.
  9. ^ a b c Davies, Caroline (16 October 2011). "Occupy London protest continues into second day". The Guardian. London.
  10. ^ "Stock exchange occupation blocked". WalesOnline. Wales. 15 October 2011.
  11. ^ "Police back down from "Occupy London" site". CBS News. 16 October 2011. Retrieved 15 October 2011.
  12. ^ "Occupy London Stock Exchange camp 'organised and good natured'". The Guardian. 17 October 2011. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
  13. ^ "'Occupy' protests: Campaigners greet return of city workers". The Telegraph. 17 October 2011. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
  14. ^ "After the demos, the sit-in begins – in London and beyond". The Independent. 17 October 2011. Retrieved 17 October 2011.


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