Occupy London protesters take over office block iin the Barbican

Protesters Occupy Building In City Of London

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3:02pm UK, Saturday January 21, 2012





Occupy London protesters say they have taken over a fifth site in the City - an abandoned office block in the Barbican area.



Around 50 anti-capitalist demonstrators went into the nine-storey
building and have vowed to remain there until the City of London
Corporation publishes full details of its City cash accounts.


They also plan to open the block, which previously housed financial service companies, to the public.


The Corporation does not publish the £50m-a-year accounts because
some of the assets involved are commercially sensitive, it is
understood.












The Occupy London protest at Roman House





A private endowment, the accounts fund several places and events in
the capital each year, including open spaces (£16m), food markets (£6m),
City of London schools (£5m) and ceremonial events such as state visits
(£5m).


The protesters at Roman House are calling for the Corporation to
"become a more transparent public body like every other public body in
the country".


On Monday, it is set to be be opened to the public for a lecture on the City's "secret finances and lobbying activities".


Supporter Bryn Phillips, 28, said: "The Corporation has undermined
our democracy through the power of its lobbyists and must submit to
public scrutiny.


"If the City agrees to publish its City cash accounts, future and
historic, we will leave the building immediately. If does not, we will
take appropriate action until such time as it does."












High Court has backed Corporation's bid to evict protesters outside St Paul's





City of London Police arrived at Roman House soon after the
protesters entered the building but no arrests were made, Mr Phillips
said.


"There's been a very high police presence," he said. "It's the
highest we've had since we occupied St Paul's. The City of London
Corporation sent their own vans around."


This Monday is the 100-day anniversary of the movement's occupation
of the land by St Paul's Cathedral, where they set up camp on October 15
last year.


On Wednesday, the High Court backed the Corporation's bid to evict the protesters from the area. But one of the demonstrators has launched an appeal.


Other occupations by the movement include Finsbury Square and a
building owned by investment bank UBS, both in the City of London. The
Corporation declined to comment on the latest occupation.

I'm not interested in what they're doing - is anyone? since it was discovered that half of them leave their tents at night presumably to go home to their warm beds..... they hate capitalism but have almost made protesting a 9-5 job, ha!

margaret wrote:I'm not interested in what they're doing - is anyone? since it was discovered that half of them leave their tents at night presumably to go home to their warm beds..... they hate capitalism but have almost made protesting a 9-5 job, ha!

Hi margaret, there was a discussion about the occupy brigade and some were in the debate but they didn't get a lot of sympathy because of the way
they take over thoroughfares and create so much litter. Their initial protest was right, but they have to gain Seats in Government to make a
difference.

yes its that old thing, its the way that you do or say something that can either gain or diminish support. I can understand some of the points they are making, but wouldnt necessarily support because of the way they go about it, jimo

They despise Capitalism, (allegedly) but would soon change their minds (if they had one between them) should a dictatorial regime take over....