AFP/London


An activist emerges from her instant tent after spending the first night in Finsbury Square in London yesterday
Anti-capitalist protesters have set up a second camp in London, as they marked one week of demonstrations outside St Paul’s Cathedral which have forced the 300-year-old monument to close. As hundreds of demonstrators inspired by the Occupy Wall Street movement bedded down for an ninth night in the heart of London’s financial district, supporters set up another encampment of about 30 tents nearby.
One activist said the Finsbury Square protest was an “overflow camp” to ease concerns about the main protest, which has swelled to 200 tents and prompted the cathedral’s closure on Friday for the first time since World War II.
“We want to let St Paul’s know that we have an overflow camp so we won’t be stressing them out so much,” said Ronan McNern, 36. “It was obvious that the camp at St Paul’s was expanding and expanding, and this way we can limit the numbers there and ensure there is a site there which fits within the regulations.”
The protesters set up camp outside St Paul’s following a day of global marches against corporate greed one week ago.
The cathedral is a stone’s throw from the London Stock Exchange, the protesters’ main target. Hundreds of tourists have been turned away from the cathedral since its closure, although the wedding of one couple went ahead on Saturday—albeit with the bride coming in a side door rather than up the grand front steps.
A number of the tourists have expressed support for the activists despite being unable to visit the cathedral. “It is for a noble cause, it isn’t aggressive, it’s a good way of protesting,” said Dutch tourist Juul van der Au, 21. She added: “There are many others things to see in London - we’ll go to Westminster Abbey.”