Occupy London camp forces St Paul's Cathedral to close

21/10/2011

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Last weekend protests about corporate greed were held in around 951 cities across the globe. The Occupy Wall Street protest movement had inspired others to take part and in London, Occupy London got underway.

Saturday October 15, 2011 was the day of action and inevitably trouble occurred in some cities and countries. In London protesters were denied access to banking areas, where they had hoped to demonstrate. Instead they were pushed back to the front of London's landmark St Paul's Cathedral.
A heavy police presence looked set to inflame the situation. The police officers were trying to prevent damage to St Paul's historic architecture. In the end a philanthropic St Paul's clergyman asked the police to desist.

Ha said that he hoped for a peaceful protest, commenting that in the UK people have a right to air their opinions and demonstrate peacefully. As he said, he would rather a little damage than a running battle between protesters and police.

Now it seems his kindness may have backfired on him.

Throughout the week the sea of tents outised St Paul's has grown. The maekeshift camp will no doubt swell at the weekend when people are not at work. This will add to the problems. The Dean of St Paul's, Reverend Graeme Knowles, has said it is with a "heavy heart" that a decision to close has been made.

Famously  little has forced St Paul's to close its doors to visitors but Occupy London has.

It all boils down to Health and Safety rules. The Dean has asked that protesters move away from the entrance to the cathedral. He said, "We have a legal obligation to keep visitors safe and healthy." This afternoon, October 21, 2011, a service will be held before St Pauls's basically shuts up shop, at least for the forseeable future. That is a shame as the Cathedral relies on donations from visitors to keep its finacial head above water.
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Greece: Union leader speaks out ahead of 48 hour-strike

18/10/2011

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2009 Greek Strike
The Greek economy has been in free-fall for some time. Much as the government of the country plans austerity measures and cuts the people will not play ball. Watching an interview with a Greek person it was easy to see what part of the problem is. As the man told the media “Greek people live for today and care not for the future“. He seemed pretty sure that sooner or later the Greeks will default on paying back EU loans.

If he can see all of this why can’t EU leaders such as Angela Merkel and others?

Well in truth they will be able to see reality but for various reasons choose to ignore it. Such is the EU that each country has become intertwined. So much so that such a thing as a bad economy in one country could cause many countries to fall. The dreaded Domino effect.
Yet it must be close to the time when EU countries decide enough is enough. If countries such as the UK are enforcing stringent measures on their people why should it be possible for the Greeks to ignore such measures themselves?. If they were not reliant on EU countries for a bail-out fair enough but fancy expecting people who have had their salaries and future prospects cut to bail-out those who will not accept such changes.When you visit Greece the people are warm and friendly but like it or not they will have to  experience changes.
Today, October 18, 2011 the head of the huge Public Sector Union in Greece has aired his views. Costas Tsikrikas, head of the 500,000-strong ADEDY union
said that Greece is set to fall into a "death spiral" if more cuts and restrictions are put in place. He accused George Papandreou's Socialist government of blindly falling destructive plans. Coasts said that such strict measures would ultimately plunge Greece into a deeper recession and set them on a downward spiral to more debt and despair.

Urging those who have the power to vote against these measures Mr Tsikrikas said, “This will exacerbate recession, unemployment and state revenues will continue to fall, creating a death spiral. It must not continue.  The government has to call on the rich to contribute. Workers look more like squeezed lemons now, they can't take it anymore. The state must take the money from those who have the income to pay the taxes. The rich, the big companies that use the workforce of this country. Don't they owe the country and its people something? People are right to want justice, the burden equally shared, a just tax system and a crackdown on tax evasion."

As some of the poorer paid public sector workers face what in effect is a 40% pay cut it seems obvious that such cuts must include everyone and be fair to all Greeks.

Greece faces a 48 hour strike which has been scheduled for tomorrow and Thursday, October 19 and 20, 2011. The timing is to coincide with the Greek government’s vote on the latest austerity measures. Already today, Tuesday October 18 railway workers and journalists, joined ferry crews, garbage collectors, tax officials and lawyers in the planned action.

For many the big question is can the Greek Prime Minister, George Papandreou, cling to power let alone ensure the package of austerity measures are passed?
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Weekend of World protest

14/10/2011

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It is Friday October 14, 2011. Tomorrow October 15, 2011, is Occupy the World Day.

This year we have got used to seeing media reports from the Middle East, reporting on protests, especially after Friday prayers. Now it could be the West's turn.

The Occupy Wall Street protest movement began as a rather loosely organised group of individuals, who were on general sick and tired of what they called Corporate Greed. The movement has spread in spite of the fact that mainstream media sources have bypassed the protesters. A virtual blanket ban on reporting seemed to be in operation.

Today's breakfast news in the UK finally carried coverage, and one has to assume that they have realised that the movement will grow with or without mainstream publicity. It will not simply go away.
In Canada for example protests are planned for cities such as Toronto, October 15, 2011.

As is so often the case this protest movement could go either way. It could be what the western world needs to wake up and consider radical change. Then again it could be used by those wanting to pull down the fabric of our society for their own ends.

In other words it could end in hope or disaster.

It will depend upon those involved, their ideals and how the world and its authorities respond. As yet the demonstrations have been reasonably peaceful. As a person old enough to remember student protests such as the UK anti-Vietnam war, Grosvenor Square Student protests of 1968, I know it could all go horribly wrong.

There will always be a "rent a mob" element hell bent on trouble in any such protest. Sometimes this may even be supplied by a government to cause problems. Many people still believe that the Arab Spring was so influenced by the West.

In America the country seems to be divided. Republicans tend to be against OWSPM whilst Democrats are more inclined to be positive. However, it is not about politics. For those involved they see both sides as failed governments.

So if you are taking part tomorrow take care. If you live in an area which could be affected, likewise take care. Whether these protests can and will bring about any real positive change is hard to determine. This writer has to acknowledge admiration for those who are hopeful. Many of us when young were like minded. We hoped for a brave New World but sadly, although somethings changed, it did not happen.

With much of the World enduring conflict these days, or on the verge of bankruptcy, perhaps the time is right now. Whether those in power will allow radical change is doubtful.
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