There has been a spontaneous outpouring of energy in Cardiff from activists both experienced and new, as we work together to build an occupation in the centre of the city. Along with Marxists, anarchists, representatives of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg and Greenham Common campers, there are many students and out of work young people in the group, most of whom have never been involved in political protest before. The start of the occupation was set for Friday 11th November, to tie in with the global day of action and show solidarity with our fellow protestors across the world. A rally was held at 2PM at Nye Bevan, attended by around 150 people. We then moved to the castle and set up camp. While the tents were being pegged, police threatened protestors with arrest under a 1981 byelaw from the Public Health Act 1875, and Section 61 of the Criminal Justice & Public Order Act 1994, but the situation remained calm as television cameras and a large number of spectators stood by.
Councillor Neil McEvoy and Assembly member Leanne Wood attended our first general assembly. Leanne Wood was fully supportive of the protest, but Neil McEvoy announced that the Council had withdrawn our permission to be on the land. He asked us to move the protest to Callaghan Square, a concreted park away from Cardiff’s city centre which is ringed by a dual carriageway. This was discussed among the group, and we decided to politely decline to move, due to the out-of-the-way location, which was not suitable when our aim in picking the site was high visibility.
At 5.30, police announced that we had half an hour to leave the site. At this point there were far more protestors than police, but as the rain fell steadily, our numbers dropped and we went into a standoff. More police were brought in and at 8.00, with 30 police and two horses, they quickly dismantled the camp, then formed a line to physically force us off the site.
Six people, seemingly chosen at random, we arrested and taken to Cardiff Bay police station. They were held for six hours, and charged with with offences under Section 61. Two accepted cautions, and have now been banned from Castle grounds for 51 weeks. Two have refused and asked to be charged. Their court date is set for November 28th. At the time of writing we have not been able to discover the identity of the remaining two arrestees, nor their fate.
The aggression and disproportionate force used last night must not discourage this movement. Whether we return to the same location or occupy somewhere else, we will be back, wiser and stronger. Keep an eye on Twitter and Facebook for news of our next occupation.
The financial crisis has exposed the rotten core of capitalism and radicalised the working class in a way that hasn't happened for decades. People all over the world are occupying to oppose unfettered capitalism, corrupt government, war and injustice. We are taking back our public spaces and using them to build the kind of society that we want to live in: collaborative, non-hierarchical and creative. This is just the beginning. We want to see open spaces and empty buildings throughout Wales- and across the globe- reclaimed for common use. If you don't have an occupation where you are, start one. Send out a call on Occupy Together and make it happen.
