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On Saturday 15th October I decided I was going to go along to the #occupyLSX taking place at 12pm outside St Paul’s Cathedral. For me this was my first time actively going out and being involved in a protest of any kind and I was looking forward to it.

I arrived late to the occupation and as a result the police who were operating a needless containment strategy kept me out of the main protest. It took me about an hour and a half to find a way beyond the police lines and into the site of the planned occupation. Thousands of people wanted to join the general assembly that was taking place on the steps of St Paul’s Cathedral and add their voice to a growing global movement for change, but were denied that opportunity for a large part of the day. Had police let people come and go freely from the hub of the occupation I feel that another thousand or more of the 99% would have been there. The day from my experience was peaceful, buoyant and filled was optimism. The only occasion when tensions rose during my stay at the occupation was when the police began to move in on peaceful protestors completely unnecessarily. Those moments aside the day was the start of something big in London, the UK and globally. The #occupy movements that are happening cannot be taken lightly and are in no way a flash in the pan, they are here for the long hall.

The drive for change, greater democracy and greater fairness has now begun. I will be there again in the days to come to show my support.

If you want to find more about the occupy movements happening across the world or find one near you click here for more information.