Occupy London camp outside St Pauls

This January, soon after the New Year, I went to look at the Occupy London camp, outside St Pauls - I had heard much about this camp from the newspapers and TV news - I wanted to see the people by myself, to walk amongst the tents before they were cleared away - I knew that bailiffs would soon gather, together with the City of London Police -

The consensus about the Occupy Movement seemed to be that it was heartfelt yet wrong - capitalism was the engine of prosperity - capitalism was still delivering millions from poverty - I heard important people on the news telling me this -

But I distrusted, viscerally, the smooth pink faces of these men, standing before glass towers - I shied away from these women with their sleek hair, lauding the markets -

I was drawn to this tent city - we walked through the tents, set up on pallets, overlooked by the austere and rational cathedral - banners welcomed us - we sat on sofas inside the Tent City University - we listened to speeches and thumbed through books - Anne spoke to a homeless man who'd taken refuge here - he was safe for once, he said, there was hot food and shelter - he could sleep here without fear of being kicked to death - he no longer felt worthless -

Although I felt like one of those well meaning liberals, swept away in Petrograd after the November Revolution, I still  welcomed this occupation - I regret its passing

I think about the 13 million people living below the poverty line in my country - the 100,000 who used food banks this year between April and September -

Jay has told me about Stephane Hessel - I shall read his Time for Outrage - I shall never read Daily Mail -