Occupation of the Church

They came to “occupy” the Exchange, but they had to settle for raising tents and banners at the foot of the Church. What they didn’t count on was the “blessing” of the Rev. Giles Fraser, who dedicated Sunday’s sermon (“God and Money”) to them and earnestly asked the police to leave them alone: “People have a right to protest.”

The bells rang in St. Paul’s Cathedral, and there is no one who can sleep more than an hour straight with this noise. …

“But this is better, than just ‘occupying’ jail,” James Sterling consoled himself, a musician of 25 years and one of the more than 200 “indignant” Britons that have taken root along the Anglican church, at whose entrance hangs the sign that warns in red letters: “Capitalism is Crisis.”

“We would have liked to be more than 50,000, like in Rome or Madrid, but those who came, came, and here we stay,” Andrew and “Anonymous,” his masked companion, proclaimed almost in unison. “We are going to convert this into a permanent forum for change. Until now solidarity and support has turned on the people.”

“They made it difficult for us on Saturday, but we have noticed certain complicity in the eyes of the police,” assured “Anonymous.” “Although we don’t forgive them for taking portable services,” corrected Andrew. “Now we depend almost totally on the ‘compassion’ of the Church.”

To enter St. Paul, certainly, one must “fork out” £14.50. The “indignants” have obtained a special deal, already accustomed to breaking through as usual between congregations and tourists, who take the opportunity to take photos of themselves in the sea of tents and banners: “We are the 99 percent,” “Weapons of mass creation,” “Real Democracy: Everyone is invited,” “We can finance wars, but not feed the poor,” “Pita for change.” …

We search for — but don’t see — Jim Beard, the man who came disguised as Jesus Christ on the first day, attacking merchants and moneylenders. Who follows in the same place, preparing herself with boots for the rain, is Amy Soyka, 22 years old, a student from Leeds Metropolitan University, the first to set up shop in front of the church: “I thought we would be few, but now you see: This morning I counted 64 tents … and the number keeps growing. They talk of staying here until at least Christmas.”

The tent-city of St. Paul depends on popular cuisine, stocked with donations. There is also a “media” shop, supplied with generators and a “chill out” zone with music. The stairs act as an amphitheater when the hour of “Angelus” arrives, which is also the hour of the General Assembly, where such a day as yesterday the first manifest was approved unanimously:

1. The current system is untenable, unjust and undemocratic. We need alternatives, and we will work for them.

2. We renounce the paying of the bank crisis.

3. We do not accept the social cutbacks as necessary or inevitable.

4. We want a structural change toward an authentic global equality.

5. We show our solidarity with the oppressed, and we support the occupations all over the world.