Anti-Corporate Protest Coming To London

BethPH
By BethPH Last edited 158 months ago

Last Updated 12 October 2011

Anti-Corporate Protest Coming To London


Occupy London Stock Exchange (OccupyLSX) plans to follow in the footsteps of the recent Occupy Wall Street protests in New York with a peaceful protest this weekend in the heart of London's finance district.

A number of campaign groups, including UK Uncut, will highlight what they believe is the ‘social and economic injustice in the UK’ caused by the financial industry and the government’s subsequent austerity measures. Their ire will no doubt be further fuelled by news that investment bank Goldman Sachs has been forgiven £10m tax by HM Revenue & Customs after a failed tax avoidance scheme.

UK Uncut, fresh from Monday’s ‘Block the Bridge’ protest against NHS reforms, said on its website:

‘By reclaiming space in the face of the economic systems that have caused terrible injustices across the world, we can open up and engage our communities into public discussions. Join us at the London Stock Exchange to reclaim space and take part in workshops on topics ranging from Debt and The Spanish Indignants Movement to Fuel Poverty and Climate Justice. Contribute in the Open Assemblies and chant songs of solidarity with Samba bands.’

An OccupyLSX Facebook page currently has over 10,000 followers, with more than 3,500 confirmed attendees for Saturday’s protest. Given the paucity of pretty much anything open in this part of the City at the weekend, we hope they’ll take a packed lunch.

Police at the New York protests came in for criticism after a group of kettled female campaigners were subjected to an allegedly unprovoked pepper spraying. The video made global news – perhaps something of a cautionary tale for the Met as they dust off their riot shields in preparation.