View allAll Photos Tagged OccupyLSX
Around two hundred activists from Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC), Disabled Activists Network (DAN), WinVisible and anti-corporate tax-avoidance campaigners UK Uncut joined forces on 28.01.2012 to carry out a demonstration and acts of civil disobedience to protest against the ongoing savage cuts being made to disability benefits by the Coalition Government led by Old Etonian, ex-Bullingdon Club member and ex-PR man, prime minister David Cameron, who has overseen a concerted public attack on the weakest, most vulnerable members of British society - the sick, the disabled and the dying - who are seeing the welfare benefits they depend on to survive slashed at the same time as they have been publicly demonised and branded work-shy scroungers by a compliant right-wing press, in order to slash the welfare budget, which is the Cameron government's only solution to the economic shockwaves caused by the banking crisis of 2008.
Congregating first in Holborn Circus by organizers, the activists (many of whom were in wheelchairs, had guide dogs, or were accompanied by their Carers and Buddies), who had earlier been instructed to arrive with a valid Oyster travel card - were entertained by a samba drum troupe. Suddenly the signal was ,given, and everyone (except the wheelchair-users, who had to find other transport because of the woefully abysmal provision for the disabled on 90% of the Victorian rail system) entered Holborn Underground Station en-masse to reappear at their top-secret destination two short stops away - the large, busy junction of Oxford Street and Regent Street, where they proceeded to spill onto the new Tokyo-style pedestrian crossing before completely blocking all traffic from the North by chaining their wheelchairs together across the road, anchored at each end to the wrought-iron railings at the entrances to the Underground station.
Police looked on, almost powerless to act without being seen to physically manhandle many severely disabled people, and it's very doubtful if they have provision to load electric wheelchairs into police carriers and hold them in custody suites without a huge public relations disaster, so instead they sensibly adopted a pastoral role, doing what they could to keep the peaceful-but-very-vocal protesters safe for the three hours their act of civil disobedience lasted, after which they all calmly dissapated, vanishing back into the underground system and home for a well-earned rest after a triumphant protest.
This is the first time that Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) have had any significant support on one of their direct actions, and being joined by the extremely effective corporate tax-avoidance protesters from UK Uncut was a fantastic morale boost for the battle-hardened disabled activists. For well over a year DPAC has been fighting back against David Cameron's swingeing "austerity" cuts to the welfare budget, especially to provision for the disabled, which are only hurting the most vulnerable in our society. It seems as if the message is finally getting through to other single-issue protest groups that everything is related to everything else. Taking Disability Living Allowance from half a million disabled people, making them homeless and destitue with their considerable physical and/or mental health complications may save the Department of Work and Pensions' annual budget, but the burden of caring for all these people will now fall to local councils, already chronically stretched by huge government cuts to their budgets - and it is widely understood by everyone that it is much, much cheaper to keep a disabled person living independently with State help than it is to reinstate the Victorian Institutions and Hospitals, which past campaigners fought so hard for so long to abolish because of the inherent cruelty in institutionalising the disabled who previously had independent lives and employment but can no longer get to work because the Conservative government has taken away their mobility allowances...
All photos © 2012 Pete Riches
Do not reproduce, alter or reblog my images without my written permission.
Hi-Res versions of these files are available for license on application. NUJ rates apply.
#OccupyLSX protesters gather at St. Paul's Cathedral - Day One, 15.10.2011
As part of the newly-emerging global "Occupy" movement which has seen a continuous occupation of Liberty Park near Wall Street in New York, and which today saw protests in approximately 950 cities worldwide against the corruption of both bankers and governments, around 4-5,000 activists - having been blocked by police from their original objective, Paternoster Square which leads to the London Stock Exchange - converged on the front steps of St. Paul's Cathedral in the City of London to begin an occupation which. it is hoped, will oblige the financiers and bankers to realise that there are real people being grievously punished for the unpunished crimes of the banking industry which have resulted in crashing world economies and swingeing 'austerity measures' which are only paid for by the poor and middle classes. In the meanwhile the entire country has been treated to the disgraceful sight of the very people who caused this unmitigated shitstorm of greed, dishonesty and arrogance having the audacity to reward themselves with millions of pounds in bonuses, despite almost bringing the world economy to its knees.
Throughout the day the completely peaceful protesters discussed their grievances and through a series of open Spanish-style 'congresses' or 'people's assemblies' formulated a series of propositions which form the basis of the mass protest.
During the afternoon the crowd was joined by Wikileaks founder Julian Assange who arrived wearing the obligatory Guy Fawkes mask made famous in the cult film "V for Vendetta", which is worn by members of hacktivist group Anonymous. Assange, wearing an electronic tag on his leg imposed by the British court as he is under house arrest awaiting deportation to Sweden - was accompanied by two police detectives, one of whom frequently made a point of holding Assange's shoulder, as if they thought for one second that one of the most identifiable faces in the world right now would ever be able to make a run for it, surrounded completely by a cordon of upwards of 3-400 police.
The only mindless, vindictive violence came from some members of the Territorial Support Group who were militaristic in their brutality towards completely passive citizens when they decided to rush the steps of the cathedral once darkness fell, during which assault they stamped on people's heads and bodies, punched and kicked several people and were seen to rip the hijab off one girl's head. All of this was to prove or gain nothing whatsoever strategically except the ability of the police to be - in my opinion as I watched it from very close quarters - criminally, dangerously violent to passive, peaceful protesters who no longer, it seems, are protected from violence by the agents of the State. When the police commit violence everyone - especially the police - knows it is very difficult to go after them to demand legal justice.
Several hours later the police abandoned the steps at the request of Cathedral officials, leaving everyone to wonder what was the primary motive of the senior officer who gave the order to lead this attack on private land when no crime had been committed. This was Abuse of Process in many people's opinion.
To follow the progress of #OccupyLSX and #OccupyLondon visit their website here, and follow them on Twitter HERE and HERE.
To follow the progress of the second protest camp set up in Finsbury Square on 22.10.2011 (photos soon) visit BeyondClicktivism and follow them on Twitter
All photos © 2011 Pete Riches
Do not reproduce, alter or reblog my images without my permission.
Hi-Res versions of these files are available on application
#OccupyLSX protesters gather at St. Paul's Cathedral - Day One, 15.10.2011
As part of the newly-emerging global "Occupy" movement which has seen a continuous occupation of Liberty Park near Wall Street in New York, and which today saw protests in approximately 950 cities worldwide against the corruption of both bankers and governments, around 4-5,000 activists - having been blocked by police from their original objective, Paternoster Square which leads to the London Stock Exchange - converged on the front steps of St. Paul's Cathedral in the City of London to begin an occupation which. it is hoped, will oblige the financiers and bankers to realise that there are real people being grievously punished for the unpunished crimes of the banking industry which have resulted in crashing world economies and swingeing 'austerity measures' which are only paid for by the poor and middle classes. In the meanwhile the entire country has been treated to the disgraceful sight of the very people who caused this unmitigated shitstorm of greed, dishonesty and arrogance having the audacity to reward themselves with millions of pounds in bonuses, despite almost bringing the world economy to its knees.
Throughout the day the completely peaceful protesters discussed their grievances and through a series of open Spanish-style 'congresses' or 'people's assemblies' formulated a series of propositions which form the basis of the mass protest.
During the afternoon the crowd was joined by Wikileaks founder Julian Assange who arrived wearing the obligatory Guy Fawkes mask made famous in the cult film "V for Vendetta", which is worn by members of hacktivist group Anonymous. Assange, wearing an electronic tag on his leg imposed by the British court as he is under house arrest awaiting deportation to Sweden - was accompanied by two police detectives, one of whom frequently made a point of holding Assange's shoulder, as if they thought for one second that one of the most identifiable faces in the world right now would ever be able to make a run for it, surrounded completely by a cordon of upwards of 3-400 police.
The only mindless, vindictive violence came from some members of the Territorial Support Group who were militaristic in their brutality towards completely passive citizens when they decided to rush the steps of the cathedral once darkness fell, during which assault they stamped on people's heads and bodies, punched and kicked several people and were seen to rip the hijab off one girl's head. All of this was to prove or gain nothing whatsoever strategically except the ability of the police to be - in my opinion as I watched it from very close quarters - criminally, dangerously violent to passive, peaceful protesters who no longer, it seems, are protected from violence by the agents of the State. When the police commit violence everyone - especially the police - knows it is very difficult to go after them to demand legal justice.
Several hours later the police abandoned the steps at the request of Cathedral officials, leaving everyone to wonder what was the primary motive of the senior officer who gave the order to lead this attack on private land when no crime had been committed. This was Abuse of Process in many people's opinion.
To follow the progress of #OccupyLSX and #OccupyLondon visit their website here, and follow them on Twitter HERE and HERE.
To follow the progress of the second protest camp set up in Finsbury Square on 22.10.2011 (photos soon) visit BeyondClicktivism and follow them on Twitter
All photos © 2011 Pete Riches
Do not reproduce, alter or reblog my images without my permission.
Hi-Res versions of these files are available on application
Around two hundred activists from Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC), Disabled Activists Network (DAN), WinVisible and anti-corporate tax-avoidance campaigners UK Uncut joined forces on 28.01.2012 to carry out a demonstration and acts of civil disobedience to protest against the ongoing savage cuts being made to disability benefits by the Coalition Government led by Old Etonian, ex-Bullingdon Club member and ex-PR man, prime minister David Cameron, who has overseen a concerted public attack on the weakest, most vulnerable members of British society - the sick, the disabled and the dying - who are seeing the welfare benefits they depend on to survive slashed at the same time as they have been publicly demonised and branded work-shy scroungers by a compliant right-wing press, in order to slash the welfare budget, which is the Cameron government's only solution to the economic shockwaves caused by the banking crisis of 2008.
Congregating first in Holborn Circus by organizers, the activists (many of whom were in wheelchairs, had guide dogs, or were accompanied by their Carers and Buddies), who had earlier been instructed to arrive with a valid Oyster travel card - were entertained by a samba drum troupe. Suddenly the signal was ,given, and everyone (except the wheelchair-users, who had to find other transport because of the woefully abysmal provision for the disabled on 90% of the Victorian rail system) entered Holborn Underground Station en-masse to reappear at their top-secret destination two short stops away - the large, busy junction of Oxford Street and Regent Street, where they proceeded to spill onto the new Tokyo-style pedestrian crossing before completely blocking all traffic from the North by chaining their wheelchairs together across the road, anchored at each end to the wrought-iron railings at the entrances to the Underground station.
Police looked on, almost powerless to act without being seen to physically manhandle many severely disabled people, and it's very doubtful if they have provision to load electric wheelchairs into police carriers and hold them in custody suites without a huge public relations disaster, so instead they sensibly adopted a pastoral role, doing what they could to keep the peaceful-but-very-vocal protesters safe for the three hours their act of civil disobedience lasted, after which they all calmly dissapated, vanishing back into the underground system and home for a well-earned rest after a triumphant protest.
This is the first time that Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) have had any significant support on one of their direct actions, and being joined by the extremely effective corporate tax-avoidance protesters from UK Uncut was a fantastic morale boost for the battle-hardened disabled activists. For well over a year DPAC has been fighting back against David Cameron's swingeing "austerity" cuts to the welfare budget, especially to provision for the disabled, which are only hurting the most vulnerable in our society. It seems as if the message is finally getting through to other single-issue protest groups that everything is related to everything else. Taking Disability Living Allowance from half a million disabled people, making them homeless and destitue with their considerable physical and/or mental health complications may save the Department of Work and Pensions' annual budget, but the burden of caring for all these people will now fall to local councils, already chronically stretched by huge government cuts to their budgets - and it is widely understood by everyone that it is much, much cheaper to keep a disabled person living independently with State help than it is to reinstate the Victorian Institutions and Hospitals, which past campaigners fought so hard for so long to abolish because of the inherent cruelty in institutionalising the disabled who previously had independent lives and employment but can no longer get to work because the Conservative government has taken away their mobility allowances...
All photos © 2012 Pete Riches
Do not reproduce, alter or reblog my images without my written permission.
Hi-Res versions of these files are available for license on application. NUJ rates apply.
#OccupyLSX protesters gather at St. Paul's Cathedral - Day One, 15.10.2011
As part of the newly-emerging global "Occupy" movement which has seen a continuous occupation of Liberty Park near Wall Street in New York, and which today saw protests in approximately 950 cities worldwide against the corruption of both bankers and governments, around 4-5,000 activists - having been blocked by police from their original objective, Paternoster Square which leads to the London Stock Exchange - converged on the front steps of St. Paul's Cathedral in the City of London to begin an occupation which. it is hoped, will oblige the financiers and bankers to realise that there are real people being grievously punished for the unpunished crimes of the banking industry which have resulted in crashing world economies and swingeing 'austerity measures' which are only paid for by the poor and middle classes. In the meanwhile the entire country has been treated to the disgraceful sight of the very people who caused this unmitigated shitstorm of greed, dishonesty and arrogance having the audacity to reward themselves with millions of pounds in bonuses, despite almost bringing the world economy to its knees.
Throughout the day the completely peaceful protesters discussed their grievances and through a series of open Spanish-style 'congresses' or 'people's assemblies' formulated a series of propositions which form the basis of the mass protest.
During the afternoon the crowd was joined by Wikileaks founder Julian Assange who arrived wearing the obligatory Guy Fawkes mask made famous in the cult film "V for Vendetta", which is worn by members of hacktivist group Anonymous. Assange, wearing an electronic tag on his leg imposed by the British court as he is under house arrest awaiting deportation to Sweden - was accompanied by two police detectives, one of whom frequently made a point of holding Assange's shoulder, as if they thought for one second that one of the most identifiable faces in the world right now would ever be able to make a run for it, surrounded completely by a cordon of upwards of 3-400 police.
The only mindless, vindictive violence came from some members of the Territorial Support Group who were militaristic in their brutality towards completely passive citizens when they decided to rush the steps of the cathedral once darkness fell, during which assault they stamped on people's heads and bodies, punched and kicked several people and were seen to rip the hijab off one girl's head. All of this was to prove or gain nothing whatsoever strategically except the ability of the police to be - in my opinion as I watched it from very close quarters - criminally, dangerously violent to passive, peaceful protesters who no longer, it seems, are protected from violence by the agents of the State. When the police commit violence everyone - especially the police - knows it is very difficult to go after them to demand legal justice.
Several hours later the police abandoned the steps at the request of Cathedral officials, leaving everyone to wonder what was the primary motive of the senior officer who gave the order to lead this attack on private land when no crime had been committed. This was Abuse of Process in many people's opinion.
To follow the progress of #OccupyLSX and #OccupyLondon visit their website here, and follow them on Twitter HERE and HERE.
To follow the progress of the second protest camp set up in Finsbury Square on 22.10.2011 (photos soon) visit BeyondClicktivism and follow them on Twitter
All photos © 2011 Pete Riches
Do not reproduce, alter or reblog my images without my permission.
Hi-Res versions of these files are available on application
Around two hundred activists from Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC), Disabled Activists Network (DAN), WinVisible and anti-corporate tax-avoidance campaigners UK Uncut joined forces on 28.01.2012 to carry out a demonstration and acts of civil disobedience to protest against the ongoing savage cuts being made to disability benefits by the Coalition Government led by Old Etonian, ex-Bullingdon Club member and ex-PR man, prime minister David Cameron, who has overseen a concerted public attack on the weakest, most vulnerable members of British society - the sick, the disabled and the dying - who are seeing the welfare benefits they depend on to survive slashed at the same time as they have been publicly demonised and branded work-shy scroungers by a compliant right-wing press, in order to slash the welfare budget, which is the Cameron government's only solution to the economic shockwaves caused by the banking crisis of 2008.
Congregating first in Holborn Circus by organizers, the activists (many of whom were in wheelchairs, had guide dogs, or were accompanied by their Carers and Buddies), who had earlier been instructed to arrive with a valid Oyster travel card - were entertained by a samba drum troupe. Suddenly the signal was ,given, and everyone (except the wheelchair-users, who had to find other transport because of the woefully abysmal provision for the disabled on 90% of the Victorian rail system) entered Holborn Underground Station en-masse to reappear at their top-secret destination two short stops away - the large, busy junction of Oxford Street and Regent Street, where they proceeded to spill onto the new Tokyo-style pedestrian crossing before completely blocking all traffic from the North by chaining their wheelchairs together across the road, anchored at each end to the wrought-iron railings at the entrances to the Underground station.
Police looked on, almost powerless to act without being seen to physically manhandle many severely disabled people, and it's very doubtful if they have provision to load electric wheelchairs into police carriers and hold them in custody suites without a huge public relations disaster, so instead they sensibly adopted a pastoral role, doing what they could to keep the peaceful-but-very-vocal protesters safe for the three hours their act of civil disobedience lasted, after which they all calmly dissapated, vanishing back into the underground system and home for a well-earned rest after a triumphant protest.
This is the first time that Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) have had any significant support on one of their direct actions, and being joined by the extremely effective corporate tax-avoidance protesters from UK Uncut was a fantastic morale boost for the battle-hardened disabled activists. For well over a year DPAC has been fighting back against David Cameron's swingeing "austerity" cuts to the welfare budget, especially to provision for the disabled, which are only hurting the most vulnerable in our society. It seems as if the message is finally getting through to other single-issue protest groups that everything is related to everything else. Taking Disability Living Allowance from half a million disabled people, making them homeless and destitue with their considerable physical and/or mental health complications may save the Department of Work and Pensions' annual budget, but the burden of caring for all these people will now fall to local councils, already chronically stretched by huge government cuts to their budgets - and it is widely understood by everyone that it is much, much cheaper to keep a disabled person living independently with State help than it is to reinstate the Victorian Institutions and Hospitals, which past campaigners fought so hard for so long to abolish because of the inherent cruelty in institutionalising the disabled who previously had independent lives and employment but can no longer get to work because the Conservative government has taken away their mobility allowances...
All photos © 2012 Pete Riches
Do not reproduce, alter or reblog my images without my written permission.
Hi-Res versions of these files are available for license on application. NUJ rates apply.
London Stock Exchange |
St. Paul's Cathedral Church Yard, London, UK
| Citizen Media | 'Global Revolution' | Live Stream of International Protests by journalists and citizen journalists on the ground www.livestream.com/globalrevolution
London Stock Exchange |
St. Paul's Cathedral Church Yard, London, UK
| Citizen Media | 'Global Revolution' | Live Stream of International Protests by journalists and citizen journalists on the ground www.livestream.com/globalrevolution
Protest marks Bradley Manning's 1,000 days in prison - London, 23.02.2013
As part of a global day of action, protesters gathered at the US Embassy in London today to mark US Army Private Bradley Manning's 1,000th day in prison without trial over the leaking of classified US Army documents now known as the "Iraq War Logs" to whistleblowing website Wikileaks which revealed shocking details of war crimes committed by the US Army in Iraq, including the notorious "Collateral Damage" helicopter gunship cockpit video which showed American pilots indiscriminately murdering civilians and journalists.
Denied a speedy trial, and having been subjected to cruel and punitive treatment in military prisons which have been classified as torture by Amnesty International and other Human Rights organisations, Manning's supporters are calling for the US Army's prosecutors to stop hindering Manning's legal team access to important evidence at every turn.
Branded a traitor by many in the USA, and a hero by many others globally for exposing American crimes in Iraq, Manning is being charged under the US Espionage Act and an egregious “aiding the enemy” charge which could see him executed, even though it has been proven that not a single American has been harmed as a result of Manning's exposure of criminal behaviour. A spokesman from BradleyManning.org in the US said in a statement this week "There has never been a more important time to broadcast our message of support for exposing war crimes, international justice, and people's right to know what the government does in our name."
Interestingly, Bradley Manning's purported massive leak of documents - many of which detailed corruption, collusion and ex-judicial murder by various Middle Eastern despots - is said by many to have been the inspiration for the Arab Spring...
Groups supporting Manning at the American Embassy in London (owned by Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Company) included 'Wise Up Action', 'Veterans for Peace UK', 'Queer Strike', 'All African Women's Network', 'Women Against Rape', 'PayDay Men's Network', 'London Catholic Worker' and 'OccupyLondon'.
For information on UK campaigns, visit Wise Up Action
For information on Global campaigns, visit www.bradleymanning.org
#OccupyLSX protesters gather at St. Paul's Cathedral - Day One, 15.10.2011
As part of the newly-emerging global "Occupy" movement which has seen a continuous occupation of Liberty Park near Wall Street in New York, and which today saw protests in approximately 950 cities worldwide against the corruption of both bankers and governments, around 4-5,000 activists - having been blocked by police from their original objective, Paternoster Square which leads to the London Stock Exchange - converged on the front steps of St. Paul's Cathedral in the City of London to begin an occupation which. it is hoped, will oblige the financiers and bankers to realise that there are real people being grievously punished for the unpunished crimes of the banking industry which have resulted in crashing world economies and swingeing 'austerity measures' which are only paid for by the poor and middle classes. In the meanwhile the entire country has been treated to the disgraceful sight of the very people who caused this unmitigated shitstorm of greed, dishonesty and arrogance having the audacity to reward themselves with millions of pounds in bonuses, despite almost bringing the world economy to its knees.
Throughout the day the completely peaceful protesters discussed their grievances and through a series of open Spanish-style 'congresses' or 'people's assemblies' formulated a series of propositions which form the basis of the mass protest.
During the afternoon the crowd was joined by Wikileaks founder Julian Assange who arrived wearing the obligatory Guy Fawkes mask made famous in the cult film "V for Vendetta", which is worn by members of hacktivist group Anonymous. Assange, wearing an electronic tag on his leg imposed by the British court as he is under house arrest awaiting deportation to Sweden - was accompanied by two police detectives, one of whom frequently made a point of holding Assange's shoulder, as if they thought for one second that one of the most identifiable faces in the world right now would ever be able to make a run for it, surrounded completely by a cordon of upwards of 3-400 police.
The only mindless, vindictive violence came from some members of the Territorial Support Group who were militaristic in their brutality towards completely passive citizens when they decided to rush the steps of the cathedral once darkness fell, during which assault they stamped on people's heads and bodies, punched and kicked several people and were seen to rip the hijab off one girl's head. All of this was to prove or gain nothing whatsoever strategically except the ability of the police to be - in my opinion as I watched it from very close quarters - criminally, dangerously violent to passive, peaceful protesters who no longer, it seems, are protected from violence by the agents of the State. When the police commit violence everyone - especially the police - knows it is very difficult to go after them to demand legal justice.
Several hours later the police abandoned the steps at the request of Cathedral officials, leaving everyone to wonder what was the primary motive of the senior officer who gave the order to lead this attack on private land when no crime had been committed. This was Abuse of Process in many people's opinion.
To follow the progress of #OccupyLSX and #OccupyLondon visit their website here, and follow them on Twitter HERE and HERE.
To follow the progress of the second protest camp set up in Finsbury Square on 22.10.2011 (photos soon) visit BeyondClicktivism and follow them on Twitter
All photos © 2011 Pete Riches
Do not reproduce, alter or reblog my images without my permission.
Hi-Res versions of these files are available on application
#OccupyLSX protesters gather at St. Paul's Cathedral - Day One, 15.10.2011
Young protester tries to hold back a torrent of TSG police!
As part of the newly-emerging global "Occupy" movement which has seen a continuous occupation of Liberty Park near Wall Street in New York, and which today saw protests in approximately 950 cities worldwide against the corruption of both bankers and governments, around 4-5,000 activists - having been blocked by police from their original objective, Paternoster Square which leads to the London Stock Exchange - converged on the front steps of St. Paul's Cathedral in the City of London to begin an occupation which. it is hoped, will oblige the financiers and bankers to realise that there are real people being grievously punished for the unpunished crimes of the banking industry which have resulted in crashing world economies and swingeing 'austerity measures' which are only paid for by the poor and middle classes. In the meanwhile the entire country has been treated to the disgraceful sight of the very people who caused this unmitigated shitstorm of greed, dishonesty and arrogance having the audacity to reward themselves with millions of pounds in bonuses, despite almost bringing the world economy to its knees.
Throughout the day the completely peaceful protesters discussed their grievances and through a series of open Spanish-style 'congresses' or 'people's assemblies' formulated a series of propositions which form the basis of the mass protest.
During the afternoon the crowd was joined by Wikileaks founder Julian Assange who arrived wearing the obligatory Guy Fawkes mask made famous in the cult film "V for Vendetta", which is worn by members of hacktivist group Anonymous. Assange, wearing an electronic tag on his leg imposed by the British court as he is under house arrest awaiting deportation to Sweden - was accompanied by two police detectives, one of whom frequently made a point of holding Assange's shoulder, as if they thought for one second that one of the most identifiable faces in the world right now would ever be able to make a run for it, surrounded completely by a cordon of upwards of 3-400 police.
The only mindless, vindictive violence came from some members of the Territorial Support Group who were militaristic in their brutality towards completely passive citizens when they decided to rush the steps of the cathedral once darkness fell, during which assault they stamped on people's heads and bodies, punched and kicked several people and were seen to rip the hijab off one girl's head. All of this was to prove or gain nothing whatsoever strategically except the ability of the police to be - in my opinion as I watched it from very close quarters - criminally, dangerously violent to passive, peaceful protesters who no longer, it seems, are protected from violence by the agents of the State. When the police commit violence everyone - especially the police - knows it is very difficult to go after them to demand legal justice.
Several hours later the police abandoned the steps at the request of Cathedral officials, leaving everyone to wonder what was the primary motive of the senior officer who gave the order to lead this attack on private land when no crime had been committed. This was Abuse of Process in many people's opinion.
To follow the progress of #OccupyLSX and #OccupyLondon visit their website here, and follow them on Twitter HERE and HERE.
To follow the progress of the second protest camp set up in Finsbury Square on 22.10.2011 (photos soon) visit BeyondClicktivism and follow them on Twitter
All photos © 2011 Pete Riches
Do not reproduce, alter or reblog my images without my permission.
Hi-Res versions of these files are available on application
Stop the War "Mass Assembly: Afghanistan - Time to Go!" Trafalgar Square/Downing Street - 08.10.2011
Part Three - March and protest at the gates of Downing Street
To mark the 10th anniversary of the commencement of the disastrous war in Afghanistan, the Stop the War Coalition organised a Mass Assembly in Trafalgar Square on October 8th 2011, drawing around five thousand people from all over the country.
Throughout the afternoon a long list of passionate guest speakers spoke to the crowd, including Wikileaks founder Julian Assange (replete with electronic tag and police minders), investigative journalist John Pilger, musician and composer Brian Eno - who had contributed a soundtrack to the Stop The War video: What is the True Cost of the War in AQfghanistan? which ran on the large video wall above the stage, blogger Sanum Ghafour, Lauren Booth - muslim convert sister-in-law of as-yet unprosecuted war criminal Tony Blair, Labour party icon Tony Benn (President, Stop the War), renegade politician and firebrand George Galloway (Vice-President, Stop the War), Lindsey German (Convenor, Stop the War), outgoing Stop The War chairman Andrew Murray, incoming chairman Jeremey Corbyn MP, Bruce Kent and Kate Hudson from CND, Clare Soloman and many, many others. A great line-up of musicians, rappers and poets also took part, entertaining and educating the crowd and after the last guest speaker had finished the whole crowd upped-sticks and marched the short distance down Whitehall and arrived en masse literally right up against the gates of Downing Street - catching the police completely on the back foot for about 15 minutes - where the assembled crowd jeered and booed at full volume for the next hour and a half whilst a petition was handed in to number 10 Downing Street by the marvellous 104 year old veteran peace campaigner Miss Hetty Bower and Jeremey Corbyn MP.
Despite the chaos and pandemonium and the panic on the faces of the armed police officers on the other side of Fortress Downing Street (where all our blood-drenched war-mongering prime ministers hide from The People), there was only one arrest, though one homeless woman did try very hard at the end to get herself arrested so she could score a bed for the night and a couple of hot meals. The police did not oblige her, so she went back hungry to her cold shop doorway to wait for the oncoming Winter to kill her instead...
It seems ugly and morally obscene to me that Her Majesty's Megalomaniac Government is happy to currently spend £4.5 billion per year fighting an unwinnable war in Afghanistan, yet we cannot feed and house the homeless in the United Kingdom because, strangely enough, the country is bankrupt. I wonder if there's a connection?
For a full and fantastic account of all the day's events please visit www.antiwarassembly.org/, and also www.stopwar.org.uk
All photos © 2011 Pete Riches
Do not reproduce, alter or reblog my images without my permission.
Hi-Res versions of these files are available on application
#OccupyLSX protesters gather at St. Paul's Cathedral - Day One, 15.10.2011
Young protester tries to hold back a torrent of TSG police!
As part of the newly-emerging global "Occupy" movement which has seen a continuous occupation of Liberty Park near Wall Street in New York, and which today saw protests in approximately 950 cities worldwide against the corruption of both bankers and governments, around 4-5,000 activists - having been blocked by police from their original objective, Paternoster Square which leads to the London Stock Exchange - converged on the front steps of St. Paul's Cathedral in the City of London to begin an occupation which. it is hoped, will oblige the financiers and bankers to realise that there are real people being grievously punished for the unpunished crimes of the banking industry which have resulted in crashing world economies and swingeing 'austerity measures' which are only paid for by the poor and middle classes. In the meanwhile the entire country has been treated to the disgraceful sight of the very people who caused this unmitigated shitstorm of greed, dishonesty and arrogance having the audacity to reward themselves with millions of pounds in bonuses, despite almost bringing the world economy to its knees.
Throughout the day the completely peaceful protesters discussed their grievances and through a series of open Spanish-style 'congresses' or 'people's assemblies' formulated a series of propositions which form the basis of the mass protest.
During the afternoon the crowd was joined by Wikileaks founder Julian Assange who arrived wearing the obligatory Guy Fawkes mask made famous in the cult film "V for Vendetta", which is worn by members of hacktivist group Anonymous. Assange, wearing an electronic tag on his leg imposed by the British court as he is under house arrest awaiting deportation to Sweden - was accompanied by two police detectives, one of whom frequently made a point of holding Assange's shoulder, as if they thought for one second that one of the most identifiable faces in the world right now would ever be able to make a run for it, surrounded completely by a cordon of upwards of 3-400 police.
The only mindless, vindictive violence came from some members of the Territorial Support Group who were militaristic in their brutality towards completely passive citizens when they decided to rush the steps of the cathedral once darkness fell, during which assault they stamped on people's heads and bodies, punched and kicked several people and were seen to rip the hijab off one girl's head. All of this was to prove or gain nothing whatsoever strategically except the ability of the police to be - in my opinion as I watched it from very close quarters - criminally, dangerously violent to passive, peaceful protesters who no longer, it seems, are protected from violence by the agents of the State. When the police commit violence everyone - especially the police - knows it is very difficult to go after them to demand legal justice.
Several hours later the police abandoned the steps at the request of Cathedral officials, leaving everyone to wonder what was the primary motive of the senior officer who gave the order to lead this attack on private land when no crime had been committed. This was Abuse of Process in many people's opinion.
To follow the progress of #OccupyLSX and #OccupyLondon visit their website here, and follow them on Twitter HERE and HERE.
To follow the progress of the second protest camp set up in Finsbury Square on 22.10.2011 (photos soon) visit BeyondClicktivism and follow them on Twitter
All photos © 2011 Pete Riches
Do not reproduce, alter or reblog my images without my permission.
Hi-Res versions of these files are available on application
Julian Assange addresses #OccupyLSX at St. Paul's Cathedral - Day One, 15.10.2011
As part of the newly-emerging global "Occupy" movement which has seen a continuous occupation of Liberty Park near Wall Street in New York, and which today saw protests in approximately 950 cities worldwide against the corruption of both bankers and governments, around 4-5,000 activists - having been blocked by police from their original objective, Paternoster Square which leads to the London Stock Exchange - converged on the front steps of St. Paul's Cathedral in the City of London to begin an occupation which. it is hoped, will oblige the financiers and bankers to realise that there are real people being grievously punished for the unpunished crimes of the banking industry which have resulted in crashing world economies and swingeing 'austerity measures' which are only paid for by the poor and middle classes. In the meanwhile the entire country has been treated to the disgraceful sight of the very people who caused this unmitigated shitstorm of greed, dishonesty and arrogance having the audacity to reward themselves with millions of pounds in bonuses, despite almost bringing the world economy to its knees.
Throughout the day the completely peaceful protesters discussed their grievances and through a series of open Spanish-style 'congresses' or 'people's assemblies' formulated a series of propositions which form the basis of the mass protest.
During the afternoon the crowd was joined by Wikileaks founder Julian Assange who arrived wearing the obligatory Guy Fawkes mask made famous in the cult film "V for Vendetta", which is worn by members of hacktivist group Anonymous. Assange, wearing an electronic tag on his leg imposed by the British court as he is under house arrest awaiting deportation to Sweden - was accompanied by two police detectives, one of whom frequently made a point of holding Assange's shoulder, as if they thought for one second that one of the most identifiable faces in the world right now would ever be able to make a run for it, surrounded completely by a cordon of upwards of 3-400 police.
The only mindless, vindictive violence came from some members of the Territorial Support Group who were militaristic in their brutality towards completely passive citizens when they decided to rush the steps of the cathedral once darkness fell, during which assault they stamped on people's heads and bodies, punched and kicked several people and were seen to rip the hijab off one girl's head. All of this was to prove or gain nothing whatsoever strategically except the ability of the police to be - in my opinion as I watched it from very close quarters - criminally, dangerously violent to passive, peaceful protesters who no longer, it seems, are protected from violence by the agents of the State. When the police commit violence everyone - especially the police - knows it is very difficult to go after them to demand legal justice.
Several hours later the police abandoned the steps at the request of Cathedral officials, leaving everyone to wonder what was the primary motive of the senior officer who gave the order to lead this attack on private land when no crime had been committed. This was Abuse of Process in many people's opinion.
To follow the progress of #OccupyLSX and #OccupyLondon visit their website here, and follow them on Twitter HERE and HERE.
To follow the progress of the second protest camp set up in Finsbury Square on 22.10.2011 (photos soon) visit BeyondClicktivism and follow them on Twitter
All photos © 2011 Pete Riches
Do not reproduce, alter or reblog my images without my permission.
Hi-Res versions of these files are available on application
#OccupyLSX protesters gather at St. Paul's Cathedral - Day One, 15.10.2011
As part of the newly-emerging global "Occupy" movement which has seen a continuous occupation of Liberty Park near Wall Street in New York, and which today saw protests in approximately 950 cities worldwide against the corruption of both bankers and governments, around 4-5,000 activists - having been blocked by police from their original objective, Paternoster Square which leads to the London Stock Exchange - converged on the front steps of St. Paul's Cathedral in the City of London to begin an occupation which. it is hoped, will oblige the financiers and bankers to realise that there are real people being grievously punished for the unpunished crimes of the banking industry which have resulted in crashing world economies and swingeing 'austerity measures' which are only paid for by the poor and middle classes. In the meanwhile the entire country has been treated to the disgraceful sight of the very people who caused this unmitigated shitstorm of greed, dishonesty and arrogance having the audacity to reward themselves with millions of pounds in bonuses, despite almost bringing the world economy to its knees.
Throughout the day the completely peaceful protesters discussed their grievances and through a series of open Spanish-style 'congresses' or 'people's assemblies' formulated a series of propositions which form the basis of the mass protest.
During the afternoon the crowd was joined by Wikileaks founder Julian Assange who arrived wearing the obligatory Guy Fawkes mask made famous in the cult film "V for Vendetta", which is worn by members of hacktivist group Anonymous. Assange, wearing an electronic tag on his leg imposed by the British court as he is under house arrest awaiting deportation to Sweden - was accompanied by two police detectives, one of whom frequently made a point of holding Assange's shoulder, as if they thought for one second that one of the most identifiable faces in the world right now would ever be able to make a run for it, surrounded completely by a cordon of upwards of 3-400 police.
The only mindless, vindictive violence came from some members of the Territorial Support Group who were militaristic in their brutality towards completely passive citizens when they decided to rush the steps of the cathedral once darkness fell, during which assault they stamped on people's heads and bodies, punched and kicked several people and were seen to rip the hijab off one girl's head. All of this was to prove or gain nothing whatsoever strategically except the ability of the police to be - in my opinion as I watched it from very close quarters - criminally, dangerously violent to passive, peaceful protesters who no longer, it seems, are protected from violence by the agents of the State. When the police commit violence everyone - especially the police - knows it is very difficult to go after them to demand legal justice.
Several hours later the police abandoned the steps at the request of Cathedral officials, leaving everyone to wonder what was the primary motive of the senior officer who gave the order to lead this attack on private land when no crime had been committed. This was Abuse of Process in many people's opinion.
To follow the progress of #OccupyLSX and #OccupyLondon visit their website here, and follow them on Twitter HERE and HERE.
To follow the progress of the second protest camp set up in Finsbury Square on 22.10.2011 (photos soon) visit BeyondClicktivism and follow them on Twitter
All photos © 2011 Pete Riches
Do not reproduce, alter or reblog my images without my permission.
Hi-Res versions of these files are available on application
#OccupyLSX protesters gather at St. Paul's Cathedral - Day One, 15.10.2011
As part of the newly-emerging global "Occupy" movement which has seen a continuous occupation of Liberty Park near Wall Street in New York, and which today saw protests in approximately 950 cities worldwide against the corruption of both bankers and governments, around 4-5,000 activists - having been blocked by police from their original objective, Paternoster Square which leads to the London Stock Exchange - converged on the front steps of St. Paul's Cathedral in the City of London to begin an occupation which. it is hoped, will oblige the financiers and bankers to realise that there are real people being grievously punished for the unpunished crimes of the banking industry which have resulted in crashing world economies and swingeing 'austerity measures' which are only paid for by the poor and middle classes. In the meanwhile the entire country has been treated to the disgraceful sight of the very people who caused this unmitigated shitstorm of greed, dishonesty and arrogance having the audacity to reward themselves with millions of pounds in bonuses, despite almost bringing the world economy to its knees.
Throughout the day the completely peaceful protesters discussed their grievances and through a series of open Spanish-style 'congresses' or 'people's assemblies' formulated a series of propositions which form the basis of the mass protest.
During the afternoon the crowd was joined by Wikileaks founder Julian Assange who arrived wearing the obligatory Guy Fawkes mask made famous in the cult film "V for Vendetta", which is worn by members of hacktivist group Anonymous. Assange, wearing an electronic tag on his leg imposed by the British court as he is under house arrest awaiting deportation to Sweden - was accompanied by two police detectives, one of whom frequently made a point of holding Assange's shoulder, as if they thought for one second that one of the most identifiable faces in the world right now would ever be able to make a run for it, surrounded completely by a cordon of upwards of 3-400 police.
The only mindless, vindictive violence came from some members of the Territorial Support Group who were militaristic in their brutality towards completely passive citizens when they decided to rush the steps of the cathedral once darkness fell, during which assault they stamped on people's heads and bodies, punched and kicked several people and were seen to rip the hijab off one girl's head. All of this was to prove or gain nothing whatsoever strategically except the ability of the police to be - in my opinion as I watched it from very close quarters - criminally, dangerously violent to passive, peaceful protesters who no longer, it seems, are protected from violence by the agents of the State. When the police commit violence everyone - especially the police - knows it is very difficult to go after them to demand legal justice.
Several hours later the police abandoned the steps at the request of Cathedral officials, leaving everyone to wonder what was the primary motive of the senior officer who gave the order to lead this attack on private land when no crime had been committed. This was Abuse of Process in many people's opinion.
To follow the progress of #OccupyLSX and #OccupyLondon visit their website here, and follow them on Twitter HERE and HERE.
To follow the progress of the second protest camp set up in Finsbury Square on 22.10.2011 (photos soon) visit BeyondClicktivism and follow them on Twitter
All photos © 2011 Pete Riches
Do not reproduce, alter or reblog my images without my permission.
Hi-Res versions of these files are available on application
Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) & UK Uncut blockade Trafalgar Square - London, 18.04..2012
On 18th April 2012, around a hundred activists from Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC), Disabled Activists Network (DAN), Right to Work Campaign and anti-corporate tax-avoidance campaigners UK Uncut joined forces on 18.04.2012 to carry out a demonstration and acts of civil disobedience to protest against the ongoing savage cuts being made to disability benefits by the Coalition Government led by Old Etonian, ex-Bullingdon Club member and ex-PR man, prime minister David Cameron, who has overseen a concerted public attack on the weakest, most vulnerable members of British society - the sick, the disabled and the dying - who are seeing the welfare benefits they depend on to survive slashed at the same time as they have been publicly demonised and branded work-shy scroungers by a compliant right-wing press, in order to slash the welfare budget.
Congregating at Leicester Square, the activists marched down Charing Cross Road - stopping twice mid-way to bring traffic to a halt - and proceeded to Trafalgar Square where there was already an advanced party of activists armed with heavy chains and padlocks waiting for them, where they proceeded to completely block off two roads by chaining their wheelchairs to lampposts and railings on either side of the road.
Frustrated police eventually brought chain-cutters, but the protesters refuses to move from their positions, and at that point, beyond begging them to move, the police had to stand by and wait until the protesters decided - two hours later - to move. The protest caused massive traffic jams in Central London, causing much irate frustration amongst many drivers (as was to be expected), but generally there was a very supportive mood from the public when the reason for the protest was explained to them.
All photos © 2012 Pete Riches
Do not reproduce, alter or reblog my images without my written permission.
Hi-Res, un-watermarked versions of these files are available on application
Media buyers should email me directly.
Standard NUJ rates apply.
#OccupyLSX protesters gather at St. Paul's Cathedral - Day One, 15.10.2011
As part of the newly-emerging global "Occupy" movement which has seen a continuous occupation of Liberty Park near Wall Street in New York, and which today saw protests in approximately 950 cities worldwide against the corruption of both bankers and governments, around 4-5,000 activists - having been blocked by police from their original objective, Paternoster Square which leads to the London Stock Exchange - converged on the front steps of St. Paul's Cathedral in the City of London to begin an occupation which. it is hoped, will oblige the financiers and bankers to realise that there are real people being grievously punished for the unpunished crimes of the banking industry which have resulted in crashing world economies and swingeing 'austerity measures' which are only paid for by the poor and middle classes. In the meanwhile the entire country has been treated to the disgraceful sight of the very people who caused this unmitigated shitstorm of greed, dishonesty and arrogance having the audacity to reward themselves with millions of pounds in bonuses, despite almost bringing the world economy to its knees.
Throughout the day the completely peaceful protesters discussed their grievances and through a series of open Spanish-style 'congresses' or 'people's assemblies' formulated a series of propositions which form the basis of the mass protest.
During the afternoon the crowd was joined by Wikileaks founder Julian Assange who arrived wearing the obligatory Guy Fawkes mask made famous in the cult film "V for Vendetta", which is worn by members of hacktivist group Anonymous. Assange, wearing an electronic tag on his leg imposed by the British court as he is under house arrest awaiting deportation to Sweden - was accompanied by two police detectives, one of whom frequently made a point of holding Assange's shoulder, as if they thought for one second that one of the most identifiable faces in the world right now would ever be able to make a run for it, surrounded completely by a cordon of upwards of 3-400 police.
The only mindless, vindictive violence came from some members of the Territorial Support Group who were militaristic in their brutality towards completely passive citizens when they decided to rush the steps of the cathedral once darkness fell, during which assault they stamped on people's heads and bodies, punched and kicked several people and were seen to rip the hijab off one girl's head. All of this was to prove or gain nothing whatsoever strategically except the ability of the police to be - in my opinion as I watched it from very close quarters - criminally, dangerously violent to passive, peaceful protesters who no longer, it seems, are protected from violence by the agents of the State. When the police commit violence everyone - especially the police - knows it is very difficult to go after them to demand legal justice.
Several hours later the police abandoned the steps at the request of Cathedral officials, leaving everyone to wonder what was the primary motive of the senior officer who gave the order to lead this attack on private land when no crime had been committed. This was Abuse of Process in many people's opinion.
To follow the progress of #OccupyLSX and #OccupyLondon visit their website here, and follow them on Twitter HERE and HERE.
To follow the progress of the second protest camp set up in Finsbury Square on 22.10.2011 (photos soon) visit BeyondClicktivism and follow them on Twitter
All photos © 2011 Pete Riches
Do not reproduce, alter or reblog my images without my permission.
Hi-Res versions of these files are available on application
A anti-capitalist demonstrator sporting the symbolic 'Guy Fawkes' mask, appears to look straight at me whilst standing in front of a police van.
#OccupyLSX protesters gather at St. Paul's Cathedral - Day One, 15.10.2011
As part of the newly-emerging global "Occupy" movement which has seen a continuous occupation of Liberty Park near Wall Street in New York, and which today saw protests in approximately 950 cities worldwide against the corruption of both bankers and governments, around 4-5,000 activists - having been blocked by police from their original objective, Paternoster Square which leads to the London Stock Exchange - converged on the front steps of St. Paul's Cathedral in the City of London to begin an occupation which. it is hoped, will oblige the financiers and bankers to realise that there are real people being grievously punished for the unpunished crimes of the banking industry which have resulted in crashing world economies and swingeing 'austerity measures' which are only paid for by the poor and middle classes. In the meanwhile the entire country has been treated to the disgraceful sight of the very people who caused this unmitigated shitstorm of greed, dishonesty and arrogance having the audacity to reward themselves with millions of pounds in bonuses, despite almost bringing the world economy to its knees.
Throughout the day the completely peaceful protesters discussed their grievances and through a series of open Spanish-style 'congresses' or 'people's assemblies' formulated a series of propositions which form the basis of the mass protest.
During the afternoon the crowd was joined by Wikileaks founder Julian Assange who arrived wearing the obligatory Guy Fawkes mask made famous in the cult film "V for Vendetta", which is worn by members of hacktivist group Anonymous. Assange, wearing an electronic tag on his leg imposed by the British court as he is under house arrest awaiting deportation to Sweden - was accompanied by two police detectives, one of whom frequently made a point of holding Assange's shoulder, as if they thought for one second that one of the most identifiable faces in the world right now would ever be able to make a run for it, surrounded completely by a cordon of upwards of 3-400 police.
The only mindless, vindictive violence came from some members of the Territorial Support Group who were militaristic in their brutality towards completely passive citizens when they decided to rush the steps of the cathedral once darkness fell, during which assault they stamped on people's heads and bodies, punched and kicked several people and were seen to rip the hijab off one girl's head. All of this was to prove or gain nothing whatsoever strategically except the ability of the police to be - in my opinion as I watched it from very close quarters - criminally, dangerously violent to passive, peaceful protesters who no longer, it seems, are protected from violence by the agents of the State. When the police commit violence everyone - especially the police - knows it is very difficult to go after them to demand legal justice.
Several hours later the police abandoned the steps at the request of Cathedral officials, leaving everyone to wonder what was the primary motive of the senior officer who gave the order to lead this attack on private land when no crime had been committed. This was Abuse of Process in many people's opinion.
To follow the progress of #OccupyLSX and #OccupyLondon visit their website here, and follow them on Twitter HERE and HERE.
To follow the progress of the second protest camp set up in Finsbury Square on 22.10.2011 (photos soon) visit BeyondClicktivism and follow them on Twitter
All photos © 2011 Pete Riches
Do not reproduce, alter or reblog my images without my permission.
Hi-Res versions of these files are available on application
#OccupyLSX protesters gather at St. Paul's Cathedral - Day One, 15.10.2011
As part of the newly-emerging global "Occupy" movement which has seen a continuous occupation of Liberty Park near Wall Street in New York, and which today saw protests in approximately 950 cities worldwide against the corruption of both bankers and governments, around 4-5,000 activists - having been blocked by police from their original objective, Paternoster Square which leads to the London Stock Exchange - converged on the front steps of St. Paul's Cathedral in the City of London to begin an occupation which. it is hoped, will oblige the financiers and bankers to realise that there are real people being grievously punished for the unpunished crimes of the banking industry which have resulted in crashing world economies and swingeing 'austerity measures' which are only paid for by the poor and middle classes. In the meanwhile the entire country has been treated to the disgraceful sight of the very people who caused this unmitigated shitstorm of greed, dishonesty and arrogance having the audacity to reward themselves with millions of pounds in bonuses, despite almost bringing the world economy to its knees.
Throughout the day the completely peaceful protesters discussed their grievances and through a series of open Spanish-style 'congresses' or 'people's assemblies' formulated a series of propositions which form the basis of the mass protest.
During the afternoon the crowd was joined by Wikileaks founder Julian Assange who arrived wearing the obligatory Guy Fawkes mask made famous in the cult film "V for Vendetta", which is worn by members of hacktivist group Anonymous. Assange, wearing an electronic tag on his leg imposed by the British court as he is under house arrest awaiting deportation to Sweden - was accompanied by two police detectives, one of whom frequently made a point of holding Assange's shoulder, as if they thought for one second that one of the most identifiable faces in the world right now would ever be able to make a run for it, surrounded completely by a cordon of upwards of 3-400 police.
The only mindless, vindictive violence came from some members of the Territorial Support Group who were militaristic in their brutality towards completely passive citizens when they decided to rush the steps of the cathedral once darkness fell, during which assault they stamped on people's heads and bodies, punched and kicked several people and were seen to rip the hijab off one girl's head. All of this was to prove or gain nothing whatsoever strategically except the ability of the police to be - in my opinion as I watched it from very close quarters - criminally, dangerously violent to passive, peaceful protesters who no longer, it seems, are protected from violence by the agents of the State. When the police commit violence everyone - especially the police - knows it is very difficult to go after them to demand legal justice.
Several hours later the police abandoned the steps at the request of Cathedral officials, leaving everyone to wonder what was the primary motive of the senior officer who gave the order to lead this attack on private land when no crime had been committed. This was Abuse of Process in many people's opinion.
To follow the progress of #OccupyLSX and #OccupyLondon visit their website here, and follow them on Twitter HERE and HERE.
To follow the progress of the second protest camp set up in Finsbury Square on 22.10.2011 (photos soon) visit BeyondClicktivism and follow them on Twitter
All photos © 2011 Pete Riches
Do not reproduce, alter or reblog my images without my permission.
Hi-Res versions of these files are available on application
Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) & UK Uncut blockade Trafalgar Square - London, 18.04..2012
On 18th April 2012, around a hundred activists from Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC), Disabled Activists Network (DAN), Right to Work Campaign and anti-corporate tax-avoidance campaigners UK Uncut joined forces on 18.04.2012 to carry out a demonstration and acts of civil disobedience to protest against the ongoing savage cuts being made to disability benefits by the Coalition Government led by Old Etonian, ex-Bullingdon Club member and ex-PR man, prime minister David Cameron, who has overseen a concerted public attack on the weakest, most vulnerable members of British society - the sick, the disabled and the dying - who are seeing the welfare benefits they depend on to survive slashed at the same time as they have been publicly demonised and branded work-shy scroungers by a compliant right-wing press, in order to slash the welfare budget.
Congregating at Leicester Square, the activists marched down Charing Cross Road - stopping twice mid-way to bring traffic to a halt - and proceeded to Trafalgar Square where there was already an advanced party of activists armed with heavy chains and padlocks waiting for them, where they proceeded to completely block off two roads by chaining their wheelchairs to lampposts and railings on either side of the road.
Frustrated police eventually brought chain-cutters, but the protesters refuses to move from their positions, and at that point, beyond begging them to move, the police had to stand by and wait until the protesters decided - two hours later - to move. The protest caused massive traffic jams in Central London, causing much irate frustration amongst many drivers (as was to be expected), but generally there was a very supportive mood from the public when the reason for the protest was explained to them.
All photos © 2012 Pete Riches
Do not reproduce, alter or reblog my images without my written permission.
Hi-Res, un-watermarked versions of these files are available on application
Media buyers should email me directly.
Standard NUJ rates apply.
#OccupyLSX protesters gather at St. Paul's Cathedral - Day One, 15.10.2011
As part of the newly-emerging global "Occupy" movement which has seen a continuous occupation of Liberty Park near Wall Street in New York, and which today saw protests in approximately 950 cities worldwide against the corruption of both bankers and governments, around 4-5,000 activists - having been blocked by police from their original objective, Paternoster Square which leads to the London Stock Exchange - converged on the front steps of St. Paul's Cathedral in the City of London to begin an occupation which. it is hoped, will oblige the financiers and bankers to realise that there are real people being grievously punished for the unpunished crimes of the banking industry which have resulted in crashing world economies and swingeing 'austerity measures' which are only paid for by the poor and middle classes. In the meanwhile the entire country has been treated to the disgraceful sight of the very people who caused this unmitigated shitstorm of greed, dishonesty and arrogance having the audacity to reward themselves with millions of pounds in bonuses, despite almost bringing the world economy to its knees.
Throughout the day the completely peaceful protesters discussed their grievances and through a series of open Spanish-style 'congresses' or 'people's assemblies' formulated a series of propositions which form the basis of the mass protest.
During the afternoon the crowd was joined by Wikileaks founder Julian Assange who arrived wearing the obligatory Guy Fawkes mask made famous in the cult film "V for Vendetta", which is worn by members of hacktivist group Anonymous. Assange, wearing an electronic tag on his leg imposed by the British court as he is under house arrest awaiting deportation to Sweden - was accompanied by two police detectives, one of whom frequently made a point of holding Assange's shoulder, as if they thought for one second that one of the most identifiable faces in the world right now would ever be able to make a run for it, surrounded completely by a cordon of upwards of 3-400 police.
The only mindless, vindictive violence came from some members of the Territorial Support Group who were militaristic in their brutality towards completely passive citizens when they decided to rush the steps of the cathedral once darkness fell, during which assault they stamped on people's heads and bodies, punched and kicked several people and were seen to rip the hijab off one girl's head. All of this was to prove or gain nothing whatsoever strategically except the ability of the police to be - in my opinion as I watched it from very close quarters - criminally, dangerously violent to passive, peaceful protesters who no longer, it seems, are protected from violence by the agents of the State. When the police commit violence everyone - especially the police - knows it is very difficult to go after them to demand legal justice.
Several hours later the police abandoned the steps at the request of Cathedral officials, leaving everyone to wonder what was the primary motive of the senior officer who gave the order to lead this attack on private land when no crime had been committed. This was Abuse of Process in many people's opinion.
To follow the progress of #OccupyLSX and #OccupyLondon visit their website here, and follow them on Twitter HERE and HERE.
To follow the progress of the second protest camp set up in Finsbury Square on 22.10.2011 (photos soon) visit BeyondClicktivism and follow them on Twitter
All photos © 2011 Pete Riches
Do not reproduce, alter or reblog my images without my permission.
Hi-Res versions of these files are available on application
#OccupyLSX protesters gather at St. Paul's Cathedral - Day One, 15.10.2011
As part of the newly-emerging global "Occupy" movement which has seen a continuous occupation of Liberty Park near Wall Street in New York, and which today saw protests in approximately 950 cities worldwide against the corruption of both bankers and governments, around 4-5,000 activists - having been blocked by police from their original objective, Paternoster Square which leads to the London Stock Exchange - converged on the front steps of St. Paul's Cathedral in the City of London to begin an occupation which. it is hoped, will oblige the financiers and bankers to realise that there are real people being grievously punished for the unpunished crimes of the banking industry which have resulted in crashing world economies and swingeing 'austerity measures' which are only paid for by the poor and middle classes. In the meanwhile the entire country has been treated to the disgraceful sight of the very people who caused this unmitigated shitstorm of greed, dishonesty and arrogance having the audacity to reward themselves with millions of pounds in bonuses, despite almost bringing the world economy to its knees.
Throughout the day the completely peaceful protesters discussed their grievances and through a series of open Spanish-style 'congresses' or 'people's assemblies' formulated a series of propositions which form the basis of the mass protest.
During the afternoon the crowd was joined by Wikileaks founder Julian Assange who arrived wearing the obligatory Guy Fawkes mask made famous in the cult film "V for Vendetta", which is worn by members of hacktivist group Anonymous. Assange, wearing an electronic tag on his leg imposed by the British court as he is under house arrest awaiting deportation to Sweden - was accompanied by two police detectives, one of whom frequently made a point of holding Assange's shoulder, as if they thought for one second that one of the most identifiable faces in the world right now would ever be able to make a run for it, surrounded completely by a cordon of upwards of 3-400 police.
The only mindless, vindictive violence came from some members of the Territorial Support Group who were militaristic in their brutality towards completely passive citizens when they decided to rush the steps of the cathedral once darkness fell, during which assault they stamped on people's heads and bodies, punched and kicked several people and were seen to rip the hijab off one girl's head. All of this was to prove or gain nothing whatsoever strategically except the ability of the police to be - in my opinion as I watched it from very close quarters - criminally, dangerously violent to passive, peaceful protesters who no longer, it seems, are protected from violence by the agents of the State. When the police commit violence everyone - especially the police - knows it is very difficult to go after them to demand legal justice.
Several hours later the police abandoned the steps at the request of Cathedral officials, leaving everyone to wonder what was the primary motive of the senior officer who gave the order to lead this attack on private land when no crime had been committed. This was Abuse of Process in many people's opinion.
To follow the progress of #OccupyLSX and #OccupyLondon visit their website here, and follow them on Twitter HERE and HERE.
To follow the progress of the second protest camp set up in Finsbury Square on 22.10.2011 (photos soon) visit BeyondClicktivism and follow them on Twitter
All photos © 2011 Pete Riches
Do not reproduce, alter or reblog my images without my permission.
Hi-Res versions of these files are available on application
Julian Assange addresses #OccupyLSX at St. Paul's Cathedral - Day One, 15.10.2011
As part of the newly-emerging global "Occupy" movement which has seen a continuous occupation of Liberty Park near Wall Street in New York, and which today saw protests in approximately 950 cities worldwide against the corruption of both bankers and governments, around 4-5,000 activists - having been blocked by police from their original objective, Paternoster Square which leads to the London Stock Exchange - converged on the front steps of St. Paul's Cathedral in the City of London to begin an occupation which. it is hoped, will oblige the financiers and bankers to realise that there are real people being grievously punished for the unpunished crimes of the banking industry which have resulted in crashing world economies and swingeing 'austerity measures' which are only paid for by the poor and middle classes. In the meanwhile the entire country has been treated to the disgraceful sight of the very people who caused this unmitigated shitstorm of greed, dishonesty and arrogance having the audacity to reward themselves with millions of pounds in bonuses, despite almost bringing the world economy to its knees.
Throughout the day the completely peaceful protesters discussed their grievances and through a series of open Spanish-style 'congresses' or 'people's assemblies' formulated a series of propositions which form the basis of the mass protest.
During the afternoon the crowd was joined by Wikileaks founder Julian Assange who arrived wearing the obligatory Guy Fawkes mask made famous in the cult film "V for Vendetta", which is worn by members of hacktivist group Anonymous. Assange, wearing an electronic tag on his leg imposed by the British court as he is under house arrest awaiting deportation to Sweden - was accompanied by two police detectives, one of whom frequently made a point of holding Assange's shoulder, as if they thought for one second that one of the most identifiable faces in the world right now would ever be able to make a run for it, surrounded completely by a cordon of upwards of 3-400 police.
The only mindless, vindictive violence came from some members of the Territorial Support Group who were militaristic in their brutality towards completely passive citizens when they decided to rush the steps of the cathedral once darkness fell, during which assault they stamped on people's heads and bodies, punched and kicked several people and were seen to rip the hijab off one girl's head. All of this was to prove or gain nothing whatsoever strategically except the ability of the police to be - in my opinion as I watched it from very close quarters - criminally, dangerously violent to passive, peaceful protesters who no longer, it seems, are protected from violence by the agents of the State. When the police commit violence everyone - especially the police - knows it is very difficult to go after them to demand legal justice.
Several hours later the police abandoned the steps at the request of Cathedral officials, leaving everyone to wonder what was the primary motive of the senior officer who gave the order to lead this attack on private land when no crime had been committed. This was Abuse of Process in many people's opinion.
To follow the progress of #OccupyLSX and #OccupyLondon visit their website here, and follow them on Twitter HERE and HERE.
To follow the progress of the second protest camp set up in Finsbury Square on 22.10.2011 (photos soon) visit BeyondClicktivism and follow them on Twitter
All photos © 2011 Pete Riches
Do not reproduce, alter or reblog my images without my permission.
Hi-Res versions of these files are available on application
Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) & UK Uncut blockade Trafalgar Square - London, 18.04..2012
On 18th April 2012, around a hundred activists from Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC), Disabled Activists Network (DAN), Right to Work Campaign and anti-corporate tax-avoidance campaigners UK Uncut joined forces on 18.04.2012 to carry out a demonstration and acts of civil disobedience to protest against the ongoing savage cuts being made to disability benefits by the Coalition Government led by Old Etonian, ex-Bullingdon Club member and ex-PR man, prime minister David Cameron, who has overseen a concerted public attack on the weakest, most vulnerable members of British society - the sick, the disabled and the dying - who are seeing the welfare benefits they depend on to survive slashed at the same time as they have been publicly demonised and branded work-shy scroungers by a compliant right-wing press, in order to slash the welfare budget.
Congregating at Leicester Square, the activists marched down Charing Cross Road - stopping twice mid-way to bring traffic to a halt - and proceeded to Trafalgar Square where there was already an advanced party of activists armed with heavy chains and padlocks waiting for them, where they proceeded to completely block off two roads by chaining their wheelchairs to lampposts and railings on either side of the road.
Frustrated police eventually brought chain-cutters, but the protesters refuses to move from their positions, and at that point, beyond begging them to move, the police had to stand by and wait until the protesters decided - two hours later - to move. The protest caused massive traffic jams in Central London, causing much irate frustration amongst many drivers (as was to be expected), but generally there was a very supportive mood from the public when the reason for the protest was explained to them.
All photos © 2012 Pete Riches
Do not reproduce, alter or reblog my images without my written permission.
Hi-Res, un-watermarked versions of these files are available on application
Media buyers should email me directly.
Standard NUJ rates apply.
Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) & UK Uncut blockade Trafalgar Square - London, 18.04..2012
On 18th April 2012, around a hundred activists from Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC), Disabled Activists Network (DAN), Right to Work Campaign and anti-corporate tax-avoidance campaigners UK Uncut joined forces on 18.04.2012 to carry out a demonstration and acts of civil disobedience to protest against the ongoing savage cuts being made to disability benefits by the Coalition Government led by Old Etonian, ex-Bullingdon Club member and ex-PR man, prime minister David Cameron, who has overseen a concerted public attack on the weakest, most vulnerable members of British society - the sick, the disabled and the dying - who are seeing the welfare benefits they depend on to survive slashed at the same time as they have been publicly demonised and branded work-shy scroungers by a compliant right-wing press, in order to slash the welfare budget.
Congregating at Leicester Square, the activists marched down Charing Cross Road - stopping twice mid-way to bring traffic to a halt - and proceeded to Trafalgar Square where there was already an advanced party of activists armed with heavy chains and padlocks waiting for them, where they proceeded to completely block off two roads by chaining their wheelchairs to lampposts and railings on either side of the road.
Frustrated police eventually brought chain-cutters, but the protesters refuses to move from their positions, and at that point, beyond begging them to move, the police had to stand by and wait until the protesters decided - two hours later - to move. The protest caused massive traffic jams in Central London, causing much irate frustration amongst many drivers (as was to be expected), but generally there was a very supportive mood from the public when the reason for the protest was explained to them.
All photos © 2012 Pete Riches
Do not reproduce, alter or reblog my images without my written permission.
Hi-Res, un-watermarked versions of these files are available on application
Media buyers should email me directly.
Standard NUJ rates apply.
London Stock Exchange |
St. Paul's Cathedral Church Yard, London, UK
| Citizen Media | 'Global Revolution' | Live Stream of International Protests by journalists and citizen journalists on the ground www.livestream.com/globalrevolution
As a researcher at the MIT Center for Civic Media, taking a course on Civic Media with Sasha Costanza Chock, I have been fascinated by how Occupy has been using technology and media.
I am in London this weekend for the Mozilla Festival, so I decided to visit Occupy London to see how they were using media.
When I arrived, most people were watching a film. I did get a chance to visit the tech tent, where people were mostly relaxing after a long day.
At present, the main concerns of the people I spoke with in Tech are internal decisionmaking and liason with other occupations over long-term strategy. In London, as in other Occupy groups, plans to prepare for the winter are focused on goals beyond just survival. People I spoke with want to use that time to grow and refine the movement. Along those lines, Occupy London just started a Homeless tent and Welfare working group.
Links:
- Occupy London Finsbury Park (@occupylfs)
- Occupy London in the Guardian
- Limitations of infrared cameras for detecting people sleeping in tents
- David Cameron Backs Archbishop on Bankers (Financial Times)
Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) & UK Uncut blockade Trafalgar Square - London, 18.04..2012
On 18th April 2012, around a hundred activists from Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC), Disabled Activists Network (DAN), Right to Work Campaign and anti-corporate tax-avoidance campaigners UK Uncut joined forces on 18.04.2012 to carry out a demonstration and acts of civil disobedience to protest against the ongoing savage cuts being made to disability benefits by the Coalition Government led by Old Etonian, ex-Bullingdon Club member and ex-PR man, prime minister David Cameron, who has overseen a concerted public attack on the weakest, most vulnerable members of British society - the sick, the disabled and the dying - who are seeing the welfare benefits they depend on to survive slashed at the same time as they have been publicly demonised and branded work-shy scroungers by a compliant right-wing press, in order to slash the welfare budget.
Congregating at Leicester Square, the activists marched down Charing Cross Road - stopping twice mid-way to bring traffic to a halt - and proceeded to Trafalgar Square where there was already an advanced party of activists armed with heavy chains and padlocks waiting for them, where they proceeded to completely block off two roads by chaining their wheelchairs to lampposts and railings on either side of the road.
Frustrated police eventually brought chain-cutters, but the protesters refuses to move from their positions, and at that point, beyond begging them to move, the police had to stand by and wait until the protesters decided - two hours later - to move. The protest caused massive traffic jams in Central London, causing much irate frustration amongst many drivers (as was to be expected), but generally there was a very supportive mood from the public when the reason for the protest was explained to them.
All photos © 2012 Pete Riches
Do not reproduce, alter or reblog my images without my written permission.
Hi-Res, un-watermarked versions of these files are available on application
Media buyers should email me directly.
Standard NUJ rates apply.
#OccupyLSX protesters gather at St. Paul's Cathedral - Day One, 15.10.2011
As part of the newly-emerging global "Occupy" movement which has seen a continuous occupation of Liberty Park near Wall Street in New York, and which today saw protests in approximately 950 cities worldwide against the corruption of both bankers and governments, around 4-5,000 activists - having been blocked by police from their original objective, Paternoster Square which leads to the London Stock Exchange - converged on the front steps of St. Paul's Cathedral in the City of London to begin an occupation which. it is hoped, will oblige the financiers and bankers to realise that there are real people being grievously punished for the unpunished crimes of the banking industry which have resulted in crashing world economies and swingeing 'austerity measures' which are only paid for by the poor and middle classes. In the meanwhile the entire country has been treated to the disgraceful sight of the very people who caused this unmitigated shitstorm of greed, dishonesty and arrogance having the audacity to reward themselves with millions of pounds in bonuses, despite almost bringing the world economy to its knees.
Throughout the day the completely peaceful protesters discussed their grievances and through a series of open Spanish-style 'congresses' or 'people's assemblies' formulated a series of propositions which form the basis of the mass protest.
During the afternoon the crowd was joined by Wikileaks founder Julian Assange who arrived wearing the obligatory Guy Fawkes mask made famous in the cult film "V for Vendetta", which is worn by members of hacktivist group Anonymous. Assange, wearing an electronic tag on his leg imposed by the British court as he is under house arrest awaiting deportation to Sweden - was accompanied by two police detectives, one of whom frequently made a point of holding Assange's shoulder, as if they thought for one second that one of the most identifiable faces in the world right now would ever be able to make a run for it, surrounded completely by a cordon of upwards of 3-400 police.
The only mindless, vindictive violence came from some members of the Territorial Support Group who were militaristic in their brutality towards completely passive citizens when they decided to rush the steps of the cathedral once darkness fell, during which assault they stamped on people's heads and bodies, punched and kicked several people and were seen to rip the hijab off one girl's head. All of this was to prove or gain nothing whatsoever strategically except the ability of the police to be - in my opinion as I watched it from very close quarters - criminally, dangerously violent to passive, peaceful protesters who no longer, it seems, are protected from violence by the agents of the State. When the police commit violence everyone - especially the police - knows it is very difficult to go after them to demand legal justice.
Several hours later the police abandoned the steps at the request of Cathedral officials, leaving everyone to wonder what was the primary motive of the senior officer who gave the order to lead this attack on private land when no crime had been committed. This was Abuse of Process in many people's opinion.
To follow the progress of #OccupyLSX and #OccupyLondon visit their website here, and follow them on Twitter HERE and HERE.
To follow the progress of the second protest camp set up in Finsbury Square on 22.10.2011 (photos soon) visit BeyondClicktivism and follow them on Twitter
All photos © 2011 Pete Riches
Do not reproduce, alter or reblog my images without my permission.
Hi-Res versions of these files are available on application
#OccupyLSX protesters gather at St. Paul's Cathedral - Day One, 15.10.2011
As part of the newly-emerging global "Occupy" movement which has seen a continuous occupation of Liberty Park near Wall Street in New York, and which today saw protests in approximately 950 cities worldwide against the corruption of both bankers and governments, around 4-5,000 activists - having been blocked by police from their original objective, Paternoster Square which leads to the London Stock Exchange - converged on the front steps of St. Paul's Cathedral in the City of London to begin an occupation which. it is hoped, will oblige the financiers and bankers to realise that there are real people being grievously punished for the unpunished crimes of the banking industry which have resulted in crashing world economies and swingeing 'austerity measures' which are only paid for by the poor and middle classes. In the meanwhile the entire country has been treated to the disgraceful sight of the very people who caused this unmitigated shitstorm of greed, dishonesty and arrogance having the audacity to reward themselves with millions of pounds in bonuses, despite almost bringing the world economy to its knees.
Throughout the day the completely peaceful protesters discussed their grievances and through a series of open Spanish-style 'congresses' or 'people's assemblies' formulated a series of propositions which form the basis of the mass protest.
During the afternoon the crowd was joined by Wikileaks founder Julian Assange who arrived wearing the obligatory Guy Fawkes mask made famous in the cult film "V for Vendetta", which is worn by members of hacktivist group Anonymous. Assange, wearing an electronic tag on his leg imposed by the British court as he is under house arrest awaiting deportation to Sweden - was accompanied by two police detectives, one of whom frequently made a point of holding Assange's shoulder, as if they thought for one second that one of the most identifiable faces in the world right now would ever be able to make a run for it, surrounded completely by a cordon of upwards of 3-400 police.
The only mindless, vindictive violence came from some members of the Territorial Support Group who were militaristic in their brutality towards completely passive citizens when they decided to rush the steps of the cathedral once darkness fell, during which assault they stamped on people's heads and bodies, punched and kicked several people and were seen to rip the hijab off one girl's head. All of this was to prove or gain nothing whatsoever strategically except the ability of the police to be - in my opinion as I watched it from very close quarters - criminally, dangerously violent to passive, peaceful protesters who no longer, it seems, are protected from violence by the agents of the State. When the police commit violence everyone - especially the police - knows it is very difficult to go after them to demand legal justice.
Several hours later the police abandoned the steps at the request of Cathedral officials, leaving everyone to wonder what was the primary motive of the senior officer who gave the order to lead this attack on private land when no crime had been committed. This was Abuse of Process in many people's opinion.
To follow the progress of #OccupyLSX and #OccupyLondon visit their website here, and follow them on Twitter HERE and HERE.
To follow the progress of the second protest camp set up in Finsbury Square on 22.10.2011 (photos soon) visit BeyondClicktivism and follow them on Twitter
All photos © 2011 Pete Riches
Do not reproduce, alter or reblog my images without my permission.
Hi-Res versions of these files are available on application
An office chair, seen through a glazed office window just round the corner from the St Paul's Occupy LSX site, through which I had wandered after a visit to the Gerhard Richter show at Tate Modern.
London Stock Exchange |
St. Paul's Cathedral Church Yard, London, UK
| Citizen Media | 'Global Revolution' | Live Stream of International Protests by journalists and citizen journalists on the ground www.livestream.com/globalrevolution
#OccupyLSX protesters gather at St. Paul's Cathedral - Day One, 15.10.2011
As part of the newly-emerging global "Occupy" movement which has seen a continuous occupation of Liberty Park near Wall Street in New York, and which today saw protests in approximately 950 cities worldwide against the corruption of both bankers and governments, around 4-5,000 activists - having been blocked by police from their original objective, Paternoster Square which leads to the London Stock Exchange - converged on the front steps of St. Paul's Cathedral in the City of London to begin an occupation which. it is hoped, will oblige the financiers and bankers to realise that there are real people being grievously punished for the unpunished crimes of the banking industry which have resulted in crashing world economies and swingeing 'austerity measures' which are only paid for by the poor and middle classes. In the meanwhile the entire country has been treated to the disgraceful sight of the very people who caused this unmitigated shitstorm of greed, dishonesty and arrogance having the audacity to reward themselves with millions of pounds in bonuses, despite almost bringing the world economy to its knees.
Throughout the day the completely peaceful protesters discussed their grievances and through a series of open Spanish-style 'congresses' or 'people's assemblies' formulated a series of propositions which form the basis of the mass protest.
During the afternoon the crowd was joined by Wikileaks founder Julian Assange who arrived wearing the obligatory Guy Fawkes mask made famous in the cult film "V for Vendetta", which is worn by members of hacktivist group Anonymous. Assange, wearing an electronic tag on his leg imposed by the British court as he is under house arrest awaiting deportation to Sweden - was accompanied by two police detectives, one of whom frequently made a point of holding Assange's shoulder, as if they thought for one second that one of the most identifiable faces in the world right now would ever be able to make a run for it, surrounded completely by a cordon of upwards of 3-400 police.
The only mindless, vindictive violence came from some members of the Territorial Support Group who were militaristic in their brutality towards completely passive citizens when they decided to rush the steps of the cathedral once darkness fell, during which assault they stamped on people's heads and bodies, punched and kicked several people and were seen to rip the hijab off one girl's head. All of this was to prove or gain nothing whatsoever strategically except the ability of the police to be - in my opinion as I watched it from very close quarters - criminally, dangerously violent to passive, peaceful protesters who no longer, it seems, are protected from violence by the agents of the State. When the police commit violence everyone - especially the police - knows it is very difficult to go after them to demand legal justice.
Several hours later the police abandoned the steps at the request of Cathedral officials, leaving everyone to wonder what was the primary motive of the senior officer who gave the order to lead this attack on private land when no crime had been committed. This was Abuse of Process in many people's opinion.
To follow the progress of #OccupyLSX and #OccupyLondon visit their website here, and follow them on Twitter HERE and HERE.
To follow the progress of the second protest camp set up in Finsbury Square on 22.10.2011 (photos soon) visit BeyondClicktivism and follow them on Twitter
All photos © 2011 Pete Riches
Do not reproduce, alter or reblog my images without my permission.
Hi-Res versions of these files are available on application
#OccupyLSX protesters gather at St. Paul's Cathedral - Day One, 15.10.2011
As part of the newly-emerging global "Occupy" movement which has seen a continuous occupation of Liberty Park near Wall Street in New York, and which today saw protests in approximately 950 cities worldwide against the corruption of both bankers and governments, around 4-5,000 activists - having been blocked by police from their original objective, Paternoster Square which leads to the London Stock Exchange - converged on the front steps of St. Paul's Cathedral in the City of London to begin an occupation which. it is hoped, will oblige the financiers and bankers to realise that there are real people being grievously punished for the unpunished crimes of the banking industry which have resulted in crashing world economies and swingeing 'austerity measures' which are only paid for by the poor and middle classes. In the meanwhile the entire country has been treated to the disgraceful sight of the very people who caused this unmitigated shitstorm of greed, dishonesty and arrogance having the audacity to reward themselves with millions of pounds in bonuses, despite almost bringing the world economy to its knees.
Throughout the day the completely peaceful protesters discussed their grievances and through a series of open Spanish-style 'congresses' or 'people's assemblies' formulated a series of propositions which form the basis of the mass protest.
During the afternoon the crowd was joined by Wikileaks founder Julian Assange who arrived wearing the obligatory Guy Fawkes mask made famous in the cult film "V for Vendetta", which is worn by members of hacktivist group Anonymous. Assange, wearing an electronic tag on his leg imposed by the British court as he is under house arrest awaiting deportation to Sweden - was accompanied by two police detectives, one of whom frequently made a point of holding Assange's shoulder, as if they thought for one second that one of the most identifiable faces in the world right now would ever be able to make a run for it, surrounded completely by a cordon of upwards of 3-400 police.
The only mindless, vindictive violence came from some members of the Territorial Support Group who were militaristic in their brutality towards completely passive citizens when they decided to rush the steps of the cathedral once darkness fell, during which assault they stamped on people's heads and bodies, punched and kicked several people and were seen to rip the hijab off one girl's head. All of this was to prove or gain nothing whatsoever strategically except the ability of the police to be - in my opinion as I watched it from very close quarters - criminally, dangerously violent to passive, peaceful protesters who no longer, it seems, are protected from violence by the agents of the State. When the police commit violence everyone - especially the police - knows it is very difficult to go after them to demand legal justice.
Several hours later the police abandoned the steps at the request of Cathedral officials, leaving everyone to wonder what was the primary motive of the senior officer who gave the order to lead this attack on private land when no crime had been committed. This was Abuse of Process in many people's opinion.
To follow the progress of #OccupyLSX and #OccupyLondon visit their website here, and follow them on Twitter HERE and HERE.
To follow the progress of the second protest camp set up in Finsbury Square on 22.10.2011 (photos soon) visit BeyondClicktivism and follow them on Twitter
All photos © 2011 Pete Riches
Do not reproduce, alter or reblog my images without my permission.
Hi-Res versions of these files are available on application
#OccupyLSX protesters gather at St. Paul's Cathedral - Day One, 15.10.2011
Young protester tries to hold back a torrent of TSG police!
As part of the newly-emerging global "Occupy" movement which has seen a continuous occupation of Liberty Park near Wall Street in New York, and which today saw protests in approximately 950 cities worldwide against the corruption of both bankers and governments, around 4-5,000 activists - having been blocked by police from their original objective, Paternoster Square which leads to the London Stock Exchange - converged on the front steps of St. Paul's Cathedral in the City of London to begin an occupation which. it is hoped, will oblige the financiers and bankers to realise that there are real people being grievously punished for the unpunished crimes of the banking industry which have resulted in crashing world economies and swingeing 'austerity measures' which are only paid for by the poor and middle classes. In the meanwhile the entire country has been treated to the disgraceful sight of the very people who caused this unmitigated shitstorm of greed, dishonesty and arrogance having the audacity to reward themselves with millions of pounds in bonuses, despite almost bringing the world economy to its knees.
Throughout the day the completely peaceful protesters discussed their grievances and through a series of open Spanish-style 'congresses' or 'people's assemblies' formulated a series of propositions which form the basis of the mass protest.
During the afternoon the crowd was joined by Wikileaks founder Julian Assange who arrived wearing the obligatory Guy Fawkes mask made famous in the cult film "V for Vendetta", which is worn by members of hacktivist group Anonymous. Assange, wearing an electronic tag on his leg imposed by the British court as he is under house arrest awaiting deportation to Sweden - was accompanied by two police detectives, one of whom frequently made a point of holding Assange's shoulder, as if they thought for one second that one of the most identifiable faces in the world right now would ever be able to make a run for it, surrounded completely by a cordon of upwards of 3-400 police.
The only mindless, vindictive violence came from some members of the Territorial Support Group who were militaristic in their brutality towards completely passive citizens when they decided to rush the steps of the cathedral once darkness fell, during which assault they stamped on people's heads and bodies, punched and kicked several people and were seen to rip the hijab off one girl's head. All of this was to prove or gain nothing whatsoever strategically except the ability of the police to be - in my opinion as I watched it from very close quarters - criminally, dangerously violent to passive, peaceful protesters who no longer, it seems, are protected from violence by the agents of the State. When the police commit violence everyone - especially the police - knows it is very difficult to go after them to demand legal justice.
Several hours later the police abandoned the steps at the request of Cathedral officials, leaving everyone to wonder what was the primary motive of the senior officer who gave the order to lead this attack on private land when no crime had been committed. This was Abuse of Process in many people's opinion.
To follow the progress of #OccupyLSX and #OccupyLondon visit their website here, and follow them on Twitter HERE and HERE.
To follow the progress of the second protest camp set up in Finsbury Square on 22.10.2011 (photos soon) visit BeyondClicktivism and follow them on Twitter
All photos © 2011 Pete Riches
Do not reproduce, alter or reblog my images without my permission.
Hi-Res versions of these files are available on application
Stop the War "Mass Assembly: Afghanistan - Time to Go!" Trafalgar Square/Downing Street - 08.10.2011
Part Three - March and protest at the gates of Downing Street
To mark the 10th anniversary of the commencement of the disastrous war in Afghanistan, the Stop the War Coalition organised a Mass Assembly in Trafalgar Square on October 8th 2011, drawing around five thousand people from all over the country.
Throughout the afternoon a long list of passionate guest speakers spoke to the crowd, including Wikileaks founder Julian Assange (replete with electronic tag and police minders), investigative journalist John Pilger, musician and composer Brian Eno - who had contributed a soundtrack to the Stop The War video: What is the True Cost of the War in AQfghanistan? which ran on the large video wall above the stage, blogger Sanum Ghafour, Lauren Booth - muslim convert sister-in-law of as-yet unprosecuted war criminal Tony Blair, Labour party icon Tony Benn (President, Stop the War), renegade politician and firebrand George Galloway (Vice-President, Stop the War), Lindsey German (Convenor, Stop the War), outgoing Stop The War chairman Andrew Murray, incoming chairman Jeremey Corbyn MP, Bruce Kent and Kate Hudson from CND, Clare Soloman and many, many others. A great line-up of musicians, rappers and poets also took part, entertaining and educating the crowd and after the last guest speaker had finished the whole crowd upped-sticks and marched the short distance down Whitehall and arrived en masse literally right up against the gates of Downing Street - catching the police completely on the back foot for about 15 minutes - where the assembled crowd jeered and booed at full volume for the next hour and a half whilst a petition was handed in to number 10 Downing Street by the marvellous 104 year old veteran peace campaigner Miss Hetty Bower and Jeremey Corbyn MP.
Despite the chaos and pandemonium and the panic on the faces of the armed police officers on the other side of Fortress Downing Street (where all our blood-drenched war-mongering prime ministers hide from The People), there was only one arrest, though one homeless woman did try very hard at the end to get herself arrested so she could score a bed for the night and a couple of hot meals. The police did not oblige her, so she went back hungry to her cold shop doorway to wait for the oncoming Winter to kill her instead...
It seems ugly and morally obscene to me that Her Majesty's Megalomaniac Government is happy to currently spend £4.5 billion per year fighting an unwinnable war in Afghanistan, yet we cannot feed and house the homeless in the United Kingdom because, strangely enough, the country is bankrupt. I wonder if there's a connection?
For a full and fantastic account of all the day's events please visit www.antiwarassembly.org/, and also www.stopwar.org.uk
All photos © 2011 Pete Riches
Do not reproduce, alter or reblog my images without my permission.
Hi-Res versions of these files are available on application
#OccupyLSX protesters gather at St. Paul's Cathedral - Day One, 15.10.2011
As part of the newly-emerging global "Occupy" movement which has seen a continuous occupation of Liberty Park near Wall Street in New York, and which today saw protests in approximately 950 cities worldwide against the corruption of both bankers and governments, around 4-5,000 activists - having been blocked by police from their original objective, Paternoster Square which leads to the London Stock Exchange - converged on the front steps of St. Paul's Cathedral in the City of London to begin an occupation which. it is hoped, will oblige the financiers and bankers to realise that there are real people being grievously punished for the unpunished crimes of the banking industry which have resulted in crashing world economies and swingeing 'austerity measures' which are only paid for by the poor and middle classes. In the meanwhile the entire country has been treated to the disgraceful sight of the very people who caused this unmitigated shitstorm of greed, dishonesty and arrogance having the audacity to reward themselves with millions of pounds in bonuses, despite almost bringing the world economy to its knees.
Throughout the day the completely peaceful protesters discussed their grievances and through a series of open Spanish-style 'congresses' or 'people's assemblies' formulated a series of propositions which form the basis of the mass protest.
During the afternoon the crowd was joined by Wikileaks founder Julian Assange who arrived wearing the obligatory Guy Fawkes mask made famous in the cult film "V for Vendetta", which is worn by members of hacktivist group Anonymous. Assange, wearing an electronic tag on his leg imposed by the British court as he is under house arrest awaiting deportation to Sweden - was accompanied by two police detectives, one of whom frequently made a point of holding Assange's shoulder, as if they thought for one second that one of the most identifiable faces in the world right now would ever be able to make a run for it, surrounded completely by a cordon of upwards of 3-400 police.
The only mindless, vindictive violence came from some members of the Territorial Support Group who were militaristic in their brutality towards completely passive citizens when they decided to rush the steps of the cathedral once darkness fell, during which assault they stamped on people's heads and bodies, punched and kicked several people and were seen to rip the hijab off one girl's head. All of this was to prove or gain nothing whatsoever strategically except the ability of the police to be - in my opinion as I watched it from very close quarters - criminally, dangerously violent to passive, peaceful protesters who no longer, it seems, are protected from violence by the agents of the State. When the police commit violence everyone - especially the police - knows it is very difficult to go after them to demand legal justice.
Several hours later the police abandoned the steps at the request of Cathedral officials, leaving everyone to wonder what was the primary motive of the senior officer who gave the order to lead this attack on private land when no crime had been committed. This was Abuse of Process in many people's opinion.
To follow the progress of #OccupyLSX and #OccupyLondon visit their website here, and follow them on Twitter HERE and HERE.
To follow the progress of the second protest camp set up in Finsbury Square on 22.10.2011 (photos soon) visit BeyondClicktivism and follow them on Twitter
All photos © 2011 Pete Riches
Do not reproduce, alter or reblog my images without my permission.
Hi-Res versions of these files are available on application
Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) & UK Uncut blockade Trafalgar Square - London, 18.04..2012
On 18th April 2012, around a hundred activists from Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC), Disabled Activists Network (DAN), Right to Work Campaign and anti-corporate tax-avoidance campaigners UK Uncut joined forces on 18.04.2012 to carry out a demonstration and acts of civil disobedience to protest against the ongoing savage cuts being made to disability benefits by the Coalition Government led by Old Etonian, ex-Bullingdon Club member and ex-PR man, prime minister David Cameron, who has overseen a concerted public attack on the weakest, most vulnerable members of British society - the sick, the disabled and the dying - who are seeing the welfare benefits they depend on to survive slashed at the same time as they have been publicly demonised and branded work-shy scroungers by a compliant right-wing press, in order to slash the welfare budget.
Congregating at Leicester Square, the activists marched down Charing Cross Road - stopping twice mid-way to bring traffic to a halt - and proceeded to Trafalgar Square where there was already an advanced party of activists armed with heavy chains and padlocks waiting for them, where they proceeded to completely block off two roads by chaining their wheelchairs to lampposts and railings on either side of the road.
Frustrated police eventually brought chain-cutters, but the protesters refuses to move from their positions, and at that point, beyond begging them to move, the police had to stand by and wait until the protesters decided - two hours later - to move. The protest caused massive traffic jams in Central London, causing much irate frustration amongst many drivers (as was to be expected), but generally there was a very supportive mood from the public when the reason for the protest was explained to them.
All photos © 2012 Pete Riches
Do not reproduce, alter or reblog my images without my written permission.
Hi-Res, un-watermarked versions of these files are available on application
Media buyers should email me directly.
Standard NUJ rates apply.
#OccupyLSX protesters gather at St. Paul's Cathedral - Day One, 15.10.2011
As part of the newly-emerging global "Occupy" movement which has seen a continuous occupation of Liberty Park near Wall Street in New York, and which today saw protests in approximately 950 cities worldwide against the corruption of both bankers and governments, around 4-5,000 activists - having been blocked by police from their original objective, Paternoster Square which leads to the London Stock Exchange - converged on the front steps of St. Paul's Cathedral in the City of London to begin an occupation which. it is hoped, will oblige the financiers and bankers to realise that there are real people being grievously punished for the unpunished crimes of the banking industry which have resulted in crashing world economies and swingeing 'austerity measures' which are only paid for by the poor and middle classes. In the meanwhile the entire country has been treated to the disgraceful sight of the very people who caused this unmitigated shitstorm of greed, dishonesty and arrogance having the audacity to reward themselves with millions of pounds in bonuses, despite almost bringing the world economy to its knees.
Throughout the day the completely peaceful protesters discussed their grievances and through a series of open Spanish-style 'congresses' or 'people's assemblies' formulated a series of propositions which form the basis of the mass protest.
During the afternoon the crowd was joined by Wikileaks founder Julian Assange who arrived wearing the obligatory Guy Fawkes mask made famous in the cult film "V for Vendetta", which is worn by members of hacktivist group Anonymous. Assange, wearing an electronic tag on his leg imposed by the British court as he is under house arrest awaiting deportation to Sweden - was accompanied by two police detectives, one of whom frequently made a point of holding Assange's shoulder, as if they thought for one second that one of the most identifiable faces in the world right now would ever be able to make a run for it, surrounded completely by a cordon of upwards of 3-400 police.
The only mindless, vindictive violence came from some members of the Territorial Support Group who were militaristic in their brutality towards completely passive citizens when they decided to rush the steps of the cathedral once darkness fell, during which assault they stamped on people's heads and bodies, punched and kicked several people and were seen to rip the hijab off one girl's head. All of this was to prove or gain nothing whatsoever strategically except the ability of the police to be - in my opinion as I watched it from very close quarters - criminally, dangerously violent to passive, peaceful protesters who no longer, it seems, are protected from violence by the agents of the State. When the police commit violence everyone - especially the police - knows it is very difficult to go after them to demand legal justice.
Several hours later the police abandoned the steps at the request of Cathedral officials, leaving everyone to wonder what was the primary motive of the senior officer who gave the order to lead this attack on private land when no crime had been committed. This was Abuse of Process in many people's opinion.
To follow the progress of #OccupyLSX and #OccupyLondon visit their website here, and follow them on Twitter HERE and HERE.
To follow the progress of the second protest camp set up in Finsbury Square on 22.10.2011 (photos soon) visit BeyondClicktivism and follow them on Twitter
All photos © 2011 Pete Riches
Do not reproduce, alter or reblog my images without my permission.
Hi-Res versions of these files are available on application
#OccupyLSX protesters gather at St. Paul's Cathedral - Day One, 15.10.2011
As part of the newly-emerging global "Occupy" movement which has seen a continuous occupation of Liberty Park near Wall Street in New York, and which today saw protests in approximately 950 cities worldwide against the corruption of both bankers and governments, around 4-5,000 activists - having been blocked by police from their original objective, Paternoster Square which leads to the London Stock Exchange - converged on the front steps of St. Paul's Cathedral in the City of London to begin an occupation which. it is hoped, will oblige the financiers and bankers to realise that there are real people being grievously punished for the unpunished crimes of the banking industry which have resulted in crashing world economies and swingeing 'austerity measures' which are only paid for by the poor and middle classes. In the meanwhile the entire country has been treated to the disgraceful sight of the very people who caused this unmitigated shitstorm of greed, dishonesty and arrogance having the audacity to reward themselves with millions of pounds in bonuses, despite almost bringing the world economy to its knees.
Throughout the day the completely peaceful protesters discussed their grievances and through a series of open Spanish-style 'congresses' or 'people's assemblies' formulated a series of propositions which form the basis of the mass protest.
During the afternoon the crowd was joined by Wikileaks founder Julian Assange who arrived wearing the obligatory Guy Fawkes mask made famous in the cult film "V for Vendetta", which is worn by members of hacktivist group Anonymous. Assange, wearing an electronic tag on his leg imposed by the British court as he is under house arrest awaiting deportation to Sweden - was accompanied by two police detectives, one of whom frequently made a point of holding Assange's shoulder, as if they thought for one second that one of the most identifiable faces in the world right now would ever be able to make a run for it, surrounded completely by a cordon of upwards of 3-400 police.
The only mindless, vindictive violence came from some members of the Territorial Support Group who were militaristic in their brutality towards completely passive citizens when they decided to rush the steps of the cathedral once darkness fell, during which assault they stamped on people's heads and bodies, punched and kicked several people and were seen to rip the hijab off one girl's head. All of this was to prove or gain nothing whatsoever strategically except the ability of the police to be - in my opinion as I watched it from very close quarters - criminally, dangerously violent to passive, peaceful protesters who no longer, it seems, are protected from violence by the agents of the State. When the police commit violence everyone - especially the police - knows it is very difficult to go after them to demand legal justice.
Several hours later the police abandoned the steps at the request of Cathedral officials, leaving everyone to wonder what was the primary motive of the senior officer who gave the order to lead this attack on private land when no crime had been committed. This was Abuse of Process in many people's opinion.
To follow the progress of #OccupyLSX and #OccupyLondon visit their website here, and follow them on Twitter HERE and HERE.
To follow the progress of the second protest camp set up in Finsbury Square on 22.10.2011 (photos soon) visit BeyondClicktivism and follow them on Twitter
All photos © 2011 Pete Riches
Do not reproduce, alter or reblog my images without my permission.
Hi-Res versions of these files are available on application
#OccupyLSX protesters gather at St. Paul's Cathedral - Day One, 15.10.2011
Young protester tries to hold back a torrent of TSG police!
As part of the newly-emerging global "Occupy" movement which has seen a continuous occupation of Liberty Park near Wall Street in New York, and which today saw protests in approximately 950 cities worldwide against the corruption of both bankers and governments, around 4-5,000 activists - having been blocked by police from their original objective, Paternoster Square which leads to the London Stock Exchange - converged on the front steps of St. Paul's Cathedral in the City of London to begin an occupation which. it is hoped, will oblige the financiers and bankers to realise that there are real people being grievously punished for the unpunished crimes of the banking industry which have resulted in crashing world economies and swingeing 'austerity measures' which are only paid for by the poor and middle classes. In the meanwhile the entire country has been treated to the disgraceful sight of the very people who caused this unmitigated shitstorm of greed, dishonesty and arrogance having the audacity to reward themselves with millions of pounds in bonuses, despite almost bringing the world economy to its knees.
Throughout the day the completely peaceful protesters discussed their grievances and through a series of open Spanish-style 'congresses' or 'people's assemblies' formulated a series of propositions which form the basis of the mass protest.
During the afternoon the crowd was joined by Wikileaks founder Julian Assange who arrived wearing the obligatory Guy Fawkes mask made famous in the cult film "V for Vendetta", which is worn by members of hacktivist group Anonymous. Assange, wearing an electronic tag on his leg imposed by the British court as he is under house arrest awaiting deportation to Sweden - was accompanied by two police detectives, one of whom frequently made a point of holding Assange's shoulder, as if they thought for one second that one of the most identifiable faces in the world right now would ever be able to make a run for it, surrounded completely by a cordon of upwards of 3-400 police.
The only mindless, vindictive violence came from some members of the Territorial Support Group who were militaristic in their brutality towards completely passive citizens when they decided to rush the steps of the cathedral once darkness fell, during which assault they stamped on people's heads and bodies, punched and kicked several people and were seen to rip the hijab off one girl's head. All of this was to prove or gain nothing whatsoever strategically except the ability of the police to be - in my opinion as I watched it from very close quarters - criminally, dangerously violent to passive, peaceful protesters who no longer, it seems, are protected from violence by the agents of the State. When the police commit violence everyone - especially the police - knows it is very difficult to go after them to demand legal justice.
Several hours later the police abandoned the steps at the request of Cathedral officials, leaving everyone to wonder what was the primary motive of the senior officer who gave the order to lead this attack on private land when no crime had been committed. This was Abuse of Process in many people's opinion.
To follow the progress of #OccupyLSX and #OccupyLondon visit their website here, and follow them on Twitter HERE and HERE.
To follow the progress of the second protest camp set up in Finsbury Square on 22.10.2011 (photos soon) visit BeyondClicktivism and follow them on Twitter
All photos © 2011 Pete Riches
Do not reproduce, alter or reblog my images without my permission.
Hi-Res versions of these files are available on application
#OccupyLSX protesters gather at St. Paul's Cathedral - Day One, 15.10.2011
Young protester tries to hold back a torrent of TSG police!
As part of the newly-emerging global "Occupy" movement which has seen a continuous occupation of Liberty Park near Wall Street in New York, and which today saw protests in approximately 950 cities worldwide against the corruption of both bankers and governments, around 4-5,000 activists - having been blocked by police from their original objective, Paternoster Square which leads to the London Stock Exchange - converged on the front steps of St. Paul's Cathedral in the City of London to begin an occupation which. it is hoped, will oblige the financiers and bankers to realise that there are real people being grievously punished for the unpunished crimes of the banking industry which have resulted in crashing world economies and swingeing 'austerity measures' which are only paid for by the poor and middle classes. In the meanwhile the entire country has been treated to the disgraceful sight of the very people who caused this unmitigated shitstorm of greed, dishonesty and arrogance having the audacity to reward themselves with millions of pounds in bonuses, despite almost bringing the world economy to its knees.
Throughout the day the completely peaceful protesters discussed their grievances and through a series of open Spanish-style 'congresses' or 'people's assemblies' formulated a series of propositions which form the basis of the mass protest.
During the afternoon the crowd was joined by Wikileaks founder Julian Assange who arrived wearing the obligatory Guy Fawkes mask made famous in the cult film "V for Vendetta", which is worn by members of hacktivist group Anonymous. Assange, wearing an electronic tag on his leg imposed by the British court as he is under house arrest awaiting deportation to Sweden - was accompanied by two police detectives, one of whom frequently made a point of holding Assange's shoulder, as if they thought for one second that one of the most identifiable faces in the world right now would ever be able to make a run for it, surrounded completely by a cordon of upwards of 3-400 police.
The only mindless, vindictive violence came from some members of the Territorial Support Group who were militaristic in their brutality towards completely passive citizens when they decided to rush the steps of the cathedral once darkness fell, during which assault they stamped on people's heads and bodies, punched and kicked several people and were seen to rip the hijab off one girl's head. All of this was to prove or gain nothing whatsoever strategically except the ability of the police to be - in my opinion as I watched it from very close quarters - criminally, dangerously violent to passive, peaceful protesters who no longer, it seems, are protected from violence by the agents of the State. When the police commit violence everyone - especially the police - knows it is very difficult to go after them to demand legal justice.
Several hours later the police abandoned the steps at the request of Cathedral officials, leaving everyone to wonder what was the primary motive of the senior officer who gave the order to lead this attack on private land when no crime had been committed. This was Abuse of Process in many people's opinion.
To follow the progress of #OccupyLSX and #OccupyLondon visit their website here, and follow them on Twitter HERE and HERE.
To follow the progress of the second protest camp set up in Finsbury Square on 22.10.2011 (photos soon) visit BeyondClicktivism and follow them on Twitter
All photos © 2011 Pete Riches
Do not reproduce, alter or reblog my images without my permission.
Hi-Res versions of these files are available on application