11 arrested in UK Occupy protest

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11 arrested in UK Occupy protest

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The Occupy movement targeted the Bank of England in London, leading to the arrest of 11 people.

13 May,2012 06:37 pm

The Occupy movement has targeted the Bank of England in London, leading to the arrest of 11 of their number.The arrests were made for public order offences linked to the days demonstrations, which led to about 10 tents being set up outside the banking institution late on Saturday afternoon, City of London Police said.The protest by about 300 demonstrators in the City of London was part of a global day of action in which thousands of people staged rallies in cities including Moscow, New York, Athens and Madrid, organisers said.Protesters gathered outside St Pauls Cathedral for a rally before embarking on a visiting the 1% march which attempted to visit the offices of some of the largest banking institutions.These included some of the largest firms in the financial heart of the capital, such as Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch, RBS and Santander.Occupy London supporter David Lincoln said: The Bank of England stands right at the intersection of finance and government.In the light of Bank governor Mervyn Kings recent comments about vested interests standing in the way of reform of the financial sector, it is clear that that balance in the UK is fundamentally skewed.Hundreds of people gathering by the Bank of England is a powerful symbol of how things have to change.The demonstrators were closely shadowed by City of London Police, who attempted to contain them on several occasions, leading to a number of minor skirmishes.A police spokesman said protesters had been given a deadline of 5.45pm to leave the area outside the Bank of England. Tonight a handful remained in defiance of the order.A force spokesman said: We have a proportionate response in place.Occupy claimed some police officers used unreasonable force, including batons being drawn, as they marched around the City.One protester at St Pauls, who gave his name only as Jamie, said they were taking informed action.He added: There will be a walk through the city to meet some of the institutions we have identified as the beneficiaries of crisis, as the instigators of crisis from which we are all as a people, and as communities, suffering.We will go around and make our presence felt.The new protest comes more than six months after members of campaign group Occupy London were prevented from occupying the square in heart of the City of London.Instead, activists set up camp outside St Pauls Cathedral just yards away from the Stock Exchange and remained there for four-and-a-half months.The Occupy protesters were joined by members of Spanish protest group Indignados and Take the Square.Protesters in Spain are aiming to occupy Madrids central Puerta del Sol plaza for the next three days, despite the government warning it will not allow any camping.Occupy said they have planned another protest for this Tuesday, which will target the British Bankers Association.