Silvia Swinden

Richard Wilkinson, Professor Emeritus of social epidemiology at the University of Nottingham, explains in a TED session how inequality harms society, not just the poor but also the rich. Not a moment too soon, in order to add to the discussion taking place globally by the Occupy/Indignados/ArabSpring movement about setting the basis of a new society.

As Occupy London Stock Exchange celebrated a week of protest thousands gathered for a public assembly in the heart of London’s financial centre. The General Secretary of Britain’s largest trade union added his support. A second occupation was born in nearby Finsbury Sq. St Paul’s Cathedral closed its doors claiming health and safety issues and asking the camp to leave.

What follows is a statement agreed by the Occupy the London Stock Exchange General Assembly based on the discussions carried out by small groups. “At today’s assembly of over 500 people on the steps of St Paul’s, #occupylsx collectively agreed the initial statement below. Please note, like all forms of direct democracy, the statement will always be a work in progress”.

Occupation of the London Stock Exchange or thereabouts, Day 3. Some workers of the City came out to interact with the protesters. Communication always was the aim of the campsite dwellers, to be able to express their frustration at a system of inequality and injustice. They spoke in words, in music, in placards and in peaceful creativity.

Press Release 16/10/11: Canon Chancellor Giles Fraser defends people’s right to protest and addresses the crowd before morning service at St Paul’s cathedral. The Canon calls on the police to leave the occupation at St Paul’s. OccupyLSX reports that 250 people camped overnight, despite initial police use of force, maintaining a calm and engaging occupation.

Between 4000 – 5000 people gather in London’s Square Mile to voice their anger at the social and economic inequality in the UK and beyond, OccupyLSX holds first people’s assembly this afternoon to decide future plans for its occupation, People’s assemblies spring up near St Paul’s despite police refusing to allow protesters onto Paternoster Square [the LSX location]

The House of Lords appeared to create some hope that the Bill aimed at dropping the British National Health Service on the laps of private providers so that they can make profits with the health of the population could be defeated. But the vote was lost and the Bill continues its process towards final approval and implementation.

Noam Chomsky spoke at the RMC (Rebellious Media Conference) opening session about the #Occupy Wall Street events taking place in the last few weeks and his views on how this movement could become more efficient, more radical, more permanent and more focused on obtainable goals. He left no doubt of his support to this “end of apathy” as the most important thing happening today.

The British National Health Service is facing the biggest onslaught since its creation as a model of extremely cost effective universal health cover free at the point of delivery. UK Uncut occupied Westminster Bridge to defend it, as the Bill to privatise it goes to the House of Lords on Tuesday. Meanwhile in Manchester protesters begin the occupation of the Town Centre.

The similarities between our present behaviour toward the almighty Markets and our ancestors’ toward their rather difficult to please gods could not be more obvious. We build Temples (Banks) to them, we obey their Priests (Economists) and we make sacrifices (health, education, welfare) to appease them. But the marble gods crumbled anyway; and Europe should learn from its past.