The “Occupy” movement began in New York with ‘Occupy Wall Street’ in September 2011 and populated the term using #OWS. It’s roots were based in the Spanish ‘Indignants’ who set up camps in Madrid and Barcelona, protesting about youth unemployment and became known as 15M after the date of inception on 15th May 2011. The 15M movement called for a worldwide protest on 15th October 2011 and the world responded. There are now Occupy movements in 72 Countries and in the UK and Ireland alone there are 50 Occupy sites and rising, with the newest created last week, ‘Occupy Tunbridge Wells’, #OTW
‘Occupy’ is a leaderless movement born out of the frustration of economic and social injustice where 99% of society are being unfairly treated by society’s richest 1%. Different countries have slightly different issues and agendas but all are united in the common cause of trying to achieve an alternative society which is more equitable for all.
Occupy groups use Facebook and Twitter to set up pages, where you can find information on all events and activities proposed from lectures to press releases to direct action. Social networks are also used between different worldwide occupy groups to offer support and for exchange of ideas.
Twitter Apps and Blackberry messenger have been extensively used throughout recent demonstrations to inform on the situation advising what areas to avoid, requesting for help somewhere and what to do if you are arrested.
I have been following ‘Occupy London Stock Exchange’ #OLSX on Twitter since it’s inception on 15th October and have visited the site at St Paul’s Cathedral on numerous occasions. However, I have never actively participated in any of the organised events and so when #OLSX were to join in support with the Public Sector Workers Demonstration in London 30 November 2011, I saw an ideal opportunity to become involved and to rely on Twitter to keep me informed on the day.
What follows is the timeline of the day and what I was informed and when;
6.07AM action one: meet at Liverpool St, 7am
6:45AM Your first call: 7am at Liverpool St station.
7:32AM bannerdrop at Liverpool St station
7:46AM Occupylondon leave Liverpool St, pursued by forward intelligence team. Oh the irony
7:59AM Just passed Deutsche Bank. Very grumpy besuited man outside videoing proceedings. Didn't like having his pic taken tho, poor lamb
8:12AM Going down mansion house street
8:14AM Queen Victoria street
8:20AM Corner of queen st and upper Thames st
8:25AM Southwark bridge, the sparks will be joining us shortly
8:29AM We have located the sparks!
8:36AM joining the picket line
8:56AM Action at 3pm ;) Call 07440449236 at 2pm for details or follow #occupylsx
10:11AM Be ready! Occupy London N30Strike action at 3pm today. Spread the word
10:12AM Gathering at St Paul's at 11am for feeder march to N30Strike main march. Come join us
10:16AM Letter being distributed by the Metropolitan Police today:
10:10AM Seems police stopping and searching but no "raid" as per rumours
10:40 #stopandsearch #section60 applied "where there is a possibility of serious violence" ...? o_0 Doesn't sound like us, guv!
10:50AM Message from OccupyLondon legal observers: there is no obligation to give out your name and address to police if stopped and searched.
10:14AM We are gathering at @OccupyLSX now to join the main #n30strike. We also have an action at 3pm :) call 07440449236 at 2pm for details
11:34AM March leaving St Pauls any minute.
12:09PM Massive @occupylondon towers now on the move :)
12:08PM MARCH HAS JUST STARTED LIVE AT ST PAULS
1:01PM Now at Lincoln's Inn Fields! Loooooads of people here! Join us!
1:35PM Be ready. Location soon to be revealed for today's action in central London. Call 07440449236 at 2pm for details
2:00PM Occupy London - the movement for social & economic justice - calls concerned citizens to b at Piccadilly Circus at 3pm
2:03PM Piccadilly Circus 3pm - see you there. Be ready!
2:12PM The march has reached Aldwych.
2:33PM If you can't get through on the phone, what you need to know is : Piccadilly circus 3pm
3:13PM Be ready
3:31PM With most of our people now at Piccadilly Circus, I'm about to arrive
(https://twitter.com/#!/OccupyLSX)
After being tweeted to go to Piccadilly Circus at 3pm, I gathered with other expectant protesters and waited for events to unfold, surround by singing, Greek football fans and bemused tourists. I then spotted the pink lettered banner Occupy used earlier in the march and soon were joined by a samba band with drums beating rhythmically and leading us towards The Haymarket where I joined Occupy slotting in nicely behind the banner.
Suddenly a red flare indicated we turn into Panton Street and through the doors of Panton House, the HQ of Xstrata whose CEO is the highest paid executive in the FTSE100. About 40 Occupy protesters got into the building and onto the roof where they displayed the banner ‘all power to the 99%’.
Suddenly finding myself in a kittling situation Twitter lit up giving me practical information from #OLSX providing legal information including lawyers telephone numbers and recommending I write these on my arm as my phone may be confiscated.
From my experiences on that day I can say that social networks are a very powerful tool and used correctly can be instrumental in facilitating legitimate protest.
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