‘Occupy’ protest joined by Goldsmiths lecturers

Pic: Gala Souvignier

Thursday evening, Goldsmiths lecturers and students, visited St Paul’s Cathedral to support the ‘OccupyLSX’ protesters.

Natalie Fenton, from the Media and Communications Department at Goldsmiths, said: “I’ve been following the Occupy very closely in the Media and online, and today is the first time I’m down here.”

“I think it’s a very normal response to a failed democracy, if you can’t get your voice heard anywhere else. I think the demonstrations are done a peaceful way; people are trying to promote alternatives to  neo-liberalism in a very well mannered and educated way. I think it’s an absolute brilliant thing.”

Kay Dickinson, also from the Media and Communications department at Goldsmiths, said: “I was here the first day and spend the night in a tent, it was cold but it had a lovely feeling, like a music festival, it’s very communal. I try to come down whenever I can.”

The Trades Union Congress organised a meeting at St Paul’s Cathedral, to show their solidarity and discuss their concerns with  Government policy.

Pic: Gala Souvignier

Des Freedman, secretary of the Goldsmiths lecturer’s union (UCU), said: “The many concerns that are expressed by all the people that are here,  relate to the what we are fighting over in Higher Education.”

Anti-capitalist protesters have set up a second camp site in London’s financial district in Finsbury Square. Organisers say that the second site would not replace St Paul’s, but was intended to ease the pressure at St Paul’s crowded venue.

The protesters say they are ready to stay until Christmas. They are a freely organized group inspired by the month-old movement that first started in New York City, “against the financial greed and corruption.”

OccupyLSX estimated that the hundreds of other protesters who swell the camp for a series of talks and demonstrations take the number of protesters outside the Cathedral up to 2,000 and the numbers seem to be growing.

Yesterday, Giles Fraser, the canon chancellor of St Paul’s resigned because, he said, he could not face the prospect of “Dale Farm on the steps of St Paul’s”, as police and the church start to organise plans for evicting the protesters. The decision to close the cathedral on “health and safety: grounds was reversed yesterday and the first service in the re-opened cathedral will go ahead later today (Friday).

Pic: Gala Souvignier

The Dean of St Paul’s, the Rt Rev Graeme Knowles said last week: “The decision to close St Paul’s Cathedral is unprecedented in modern times and I have asked the Registrar to implement emergency procedures whereby the building remains closed but fit for purpose until such a time that we can open safely. ”

Knowles told the Telegraph yesterday (Thursday) that officials were considering all options in response to the protest, including the courts. The  City of London Corporation is discussing eviction plans.

 

If any east London residents are planning on attending, please do send us pictures.

Follow the Occupy London on Twitter https://twitter.com/#!/OccupyLSX and their website on their http://occupylsx.org/?p=285

 

Pic: Gala Souvignier

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