Occupy London was a political movement in London, England, and part of the international Occupy movement. While some media described it as an "anti-capitalist" movement, in the statement written and endorsed by consensus by the Occupy assembly in the first two days of the occupation, occupiers defined themselves as a movement working to create alternatives to an "unjust and undemocratic" system. A second statement endorsed the following day called for "real global democracy". Due to a pre-emptive injunction, the protesters were prevented from their original aim to camp outside the London Stock Exchange. A camp was set up nearby next to St Paul's Cathedral. On 18 January 2012, Mr Justice Lindblom granted an injunction against continuation of the protest but the protesters remained in place pending an appeal. The appeal was refused on 22 February, and just past midnight on 28 February, bailiffs supported by City of London Police began to remove the tents.
Occupy London Tent
Assange speaks at the Occupy London outside the cathedral in the City of London.
A panorama of the protest outside St Paul's Cathedral
Solidarity poster referencing the We are the 99% slogan.
The Occupy movement was an international populist socio-political movement that expressed opposition to social and economic inequality and to the perceived lack of real democracy around the world. It aimed primarily to advance social and economic justice and different forms of democracy. The movement has had many different scopes, since local groups often had different focuses, but its prime concerns included how large corporations control the world in a way that disproportionately benefits a minority, undermines democracy and causes instability.
Worldwide Occupy movement protests on 15 October 2011
Occupy protesters with "We are the 99%" signs in Bennington, Vermont
Protesters with the "99%" t-shirts at Occupy Wall Street on 17 November 2011 near the New York City Hall.
The General Assembly meeting in Washington Square Park, New York City, on 8 October 2011