Protests Against Financial System Spreads To London

First Posted: 15/10/11 08:46 Updated: 14/12/11 10:12

Protest

Protests against the global financial system which have seen huge demonstrations in New York's Wall Street are set to spread to the City of London.

A number of campaign organisations, including direct action group UK Uncut, say they will support an occupation of the heart of the capital's financial centre as part of a "global movement for real democracy" to highlight social and economic injustice.

The Occupy London Stock Exchange collective said a Facebook page on the protest had attracted more than 13,000 followers, with more than 5,000 confirmed attendees.

Laura Taylor, a supporter of the so-called OccupyLSX, said: "Why are we paying for a crisis the banks caused? More than a million people have lost their jobs and tens of thousands of homes have been repossessed, while small businesses are struggling to survive.

"Yet bankers continue to make billions in profit and pay themselves enormous bonuses, even after we bailed them out with £850 billion."

Another supporter, Kai Wargalla, said: "We want to make our voices heard against greed, corruption and for a democratic, just society. We stand in solidarity with Occupy Wall Street, protesters in Spain, Greece and the Middle East who started this movement. They have inspired people all over the world to step forward and make their voices heard."

UK Uncut supporter Peter Hodgson said: "The success of the square occupations across Spain in calling for democracy and an end to austerity, alongside the rapid growth of the Wall Street occupation, has shown that this is what is needed in London and the UK. The Government is ignoring its electorate as they impose these austerity measures."

OccupyLSX issued a statement which said: "The words corporate greed ring through the speeches and banners of protests across the globe.

"After huge bailouts and in the face of unemployment, privatisation and austerity, we still see profits for the rich on the increase. But we are the 99%, and on October 15 our voice unites across gender and race, across borders and continents, as we call for equality and justice for all.

"In London, we will occupy the Stock Exchange, reclaiming space in the face of the financial system and using it to voice ideas for how we can work towards a better future, a future free from austerity, growing inequality, unemployment, tax injustice and a political elite who ignores its citizens, and work towards concrete demands to be met."

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Protests against the global financial system which have seen huge demonstrations in New York's Wall Street are set to spread to the City of London. A number of campaign organisations, including dir...
Protests against the global financial system which have seen huge demonstrations in New York's Wall Street are set to spread to the City of London. A number of campaign organisations, including dir...
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ionthegravity
Life is 100% fatal
14:32 on 15/10/2011
Over here across the pond I've been waiting for you guys to ease off of that "stiff upper lip" stuff and let your hair down a little bit. Maybe all you need is a little American dissent to keep things interesting. ;-)
13:01 on 15/10/2011
Lets hope this becomes a truly global movement and doesn't just fizzle out. If it fails things while get exponentially worse for everyone.. well for the global 99%.
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Tim Haselden
An Enemy of Rupert Murdoch, since 1984.
11:26 on 15/10/2011
I'm off to the Liverpool one in an hour.
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Lawyer13
retired Lawyer, General and Psychiatric Nurse, wit
10:12 on 15/10/2011
This will have little or no effect on the present Goverfnment, all that it will do is cause disruption to other people, and cost the country for extra police time.
Richard Britton
British Socialist Global Realist
10:44 on 15/10/2011
oh so we should all just bend over and take it like good little sheeple then?

This 'government' is not even legitimate. Failed to win a majority against the least popular PM in living memory after 13 years of a discredited project including a disastrous and illegal war. Yet they are using their power to target the poor, the middle classes and our public services with no mandate.

It is time the millions of people that are having their lives destroyed stood up and said "No". Good on these campaigners and I hope to see the movement grow