Islam Times - UK Strike 3: St Pauls Protestors Occupy London Olympic Site

Islam Times: “This is just the beginning,” read a poster as the world famous St Paul's tent city protesters forced work to stop at a major London Olympics site by setting up camp, rocking preparations for the London 2012 Olympics.

More than 200 protesters, including the Occupy London movement who camped outside the monumental British St Paul’s Cathedral and in Finsbury Square, EC1 London have been demonstrating at the Olympic site days now.

It is the first time the London Olympic Games have been targeted in this way and raises fears that the Olympic park itself could become a focal point for protest. Security was being stepped up at other venues.

The games industrial workers including diggers and concrete mixers stood idle as the protesters slept in their tents outside the temporary basketball site. Lorries delivering construction supplies were prevented from entering the site.

Protesters said they did not rule out attempting to enter the main Olympic Park at Stratford, East London, or “any other green site ruined by developers”.

Around 20 protesters put up tents, lit fires and erected banners on the development’s steel fencing and managed to bring work to a halt.

One banner had the Olympic Rings made up of barbed wire, while another said: “Don’t be harsh — save Leyton Marsh.” A third banner read: “This is just the beginning.”

Occupy member Kris O’Donnell, a City IT consultant who camped outside St Paul’s Cathedral until protesters were evicted, said other Olympic action was not being ruled out.

“We welcome the support of Occupy London. This is a peaceful protest, but I am aware that it is against the by-laws to camp here as our supporters are doing. But I hope very much that the work is delayed so long while the authorities apply for their legal papers, that the basketball venue is never actually built.”

The protest is a huge problem for British Prime Minister who in a summit earlier this week said that Britain will be changed forever by the Olympics.
© Islam Times