Occupy Philadelphia Meeting for Worship Photo: Paul Sheldon
‘Occupy’ beyond London
Quaker involvement in Occupy camps around Britain and beyond
Quakers are offering practical help and political support to ‘Occupy’ protest camps throughout the UK. Since the launch of Occupy London in October, the movement has spread to most major British cities and a number of smaller towns. There are thought to be occupations in over eighty countries worldwide.
Sheffield Meeting have decided to formally back Occupy Sheffield, as well as to allow the occupiers to use facilities at their Meeting house. The building’s wheelchair-accessible toilet has been particularly welcomed by disabled protesters. Occupy Sheffield thanked local Quakers for ‘lovely letters of support’ and donations of equipment. Friends in Exeter have taken flasks of coffee to the recently established Occupy Exeter camp, while Quaker support for Occupy Norwich has reportedly led to occupiers attending Meeting for Worship for the first time. The Friend understands there are Quakers involved in the occupations in Bristol and Belfast.
Quakers in North America continue to participate in the movement. A regular Meeting for Worship in Philadelphia was described by local Friend Paul Sheldon as a ‘special, sacred time’ ahead of the camp’s expected eviction.
At least five Local Meetings and one Area Meeting – Ipswich and Diss – have minuted their support for the Occupy movement. British Friends have recently declared their support at a national level (see ‘Quaker statement on Occupy movement’, 25 November).
Friends are not the only faith group to help occupiers. Brunswick Methodist Church in Newcastle have invited members of Occupy Newcastle into their building to use the toilets and to discuss economics and religion. Bradford-based Anglican priest Chris Howson has been visiting occupations in several cities to express support and to listen to protesters’ concerns. Brighton Methodists have provided Occupy Brighton with apple crumble.
Steve Hynd, who attends Bath Meeting, told the Friend that he had been impressed when visiting the newly formed Occupy Bath. He found them ‘realistic and grounded in the reality that surrounded them’.
‘Even if I wasn’t sure of what this group were asking, let alone the answer, I felt more inspired by the shared sense of humanity than I had for a long time,’ he explained, ‘Maybe this alone is enough to justify occupying Bath’.
