Although Occupy Sheffield regret that the Cathedral has decided to take this very expensive legal route, the group is pleased that the Judge did not grant the possession order the Cathedral were seeking today. Instead it was decided that a full 2 day hearing should take place to give consideration to the wider implications of the protest. A proper proportionality review has been scheduled for the 21st February, giving both sides time to marshal their arguments.

Prior to today’s hearing, Occupy Sheffield offered to move the camp no later than 7 days before the Cathedral required the land for building works.  This offer was declined by the Cathedral.
 
Occupy Sheffield did not choose its location in order to enter into conflict with the staff and management of the Cathedral.  The Occupy movement worldwide is a people’s movement for social and economic justice and a prolonged dispute of this nature is an unwelcome distraction from our primary purpose.
 
The invitation to the Dean and Chapter to join the Occupiers in the marquee in order that there can be substantive face to face discussions about the future of the camp remains open.
 
Occupy Sheffield

Follow us: on Facebook and @OccupySheffield on Twitter

The original Occupy Sheffield encampment outside Sheffield Cathedral will remain in situ. ‘The Citadel of Hope’ will not be an open residential occupation, but will be crewed at all times. People wishing to join the residential encampment at Sheffield Cathedral should continue to do so. Until such time as the building has been made safe, Occupy Sheffield will make all decisions relating to the building through the General Assembly meeting held daily at 6.30pm on the Cathedral forecourt. All are welcome.

The Citadel of Hope will operate the same ‘Safer Spaces’ policy [2] that is in place at the main encampment – among other things, the Citadel will be alcohol and drug free, and those who transgress this policy will be asked to leave.

In addition to facilitating community groups suffering at the hands of government cuts, The Citadel of Hope will provide a further platform the Occupy movement in Britain to campaign for economic justice, and will be host to the National Occupy Conference on the 21st and 22nd of January 2012.

Occupy Sheffield would like to make clear that it is protesting against the casino capitalism that has laid the real economy low; it is protesting that those who created this crisis have so far got away without legal sanction and continue to do so; it is protesting that this same tiny minority (‘the 1%’) are continuing to enrich themselves while the rest of the population (‘the 99%’) are made to suffer their failures [3]. Occupy Sheffield would like to make clear, that it is not protesting against any Church or Church group.

We believe that there is an alternative to the tired mantras of Thatcherism, and that the evidence for the need to change is playing out in front of our eyes.

The Citadel of Hope is a place where you can come and be informed, be inspired and be involved in a global movement [4] which is advocating for a more just society, run for the benefit of all.

Occupy Sheffield is a transparent, non-hierarchical, volunteer organisation which is made possible by people giving their time and energy in support of a cause in which they believe. Most people have jobs, and most people are not able to be involved all the time.

If you believe that it is time to articulate an alternative to this destructive turbo-charged capitalism then The Citadel of Hope needs you.

Occupy Sheffield / The Citadel of Hope

[1] A section 6 notice governs the legal status and civil proceedings that an unoccupied building is subject to. These are civil matters. No act of criminality has occurred in possessing this building.

[2] Safer spaces policy https://occupywiki.org.uk/wiki/Sheffield/Safer_Spaces_Policy

[3] http://www.publicfinance.co.uk/news/2011/12/child-poverty-to-increase-following-autumn-statement-warns-ifs/ and http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10604117

[4] http://www.occupybritain.co.uk/ | http://www.occupytogether.org/ | http://www.occupylsx.org/ | http://www.occupywallstreet.org/

• www.occupysheffield.org
• www.facebook.com/OccupySheffield
• www.twitter.com/OccupySheffield
• www.twitter.com/Citadel_Of_Hope
• www.facebook.com/pages/Citadel-of-Hope/265723403482084

A Citadel Of Hope Twitter account and a Citadel Of Hope Facebook page have been set up.

More news will follow!

Northern Rock (minus all the dodgy mortgages that caused the bank to crash, the taxpayer keeps all that) will become another high street bank chain. Sold in the middle of an economic crisis at a loss of around £500 million – money that could have created twenty thousand jobs – George Osbourne has handed it over to Richard Branson and US billionaire Wilbur Ross, who will decide how much cash we can have back in the long run.

With the cream of the business, Virgin Money are likely to build Northern Rock up before selling on to one of the big players at a massive profit. Or it will become another big bank that does little for the people who need it.

Big banks are no longer set up to lend to small businesses and families trapped in debt. All the decisions are made by software, not local managers who know their customers. France, Germany and the USA all have community banks paid for by the big banks. Banks that are for people, not for profit. The Government could have supported Northern Rock becoming a lead in a new community banking sector and taken a step forward, not given it away.

Flyer for printing – File:NorthernRock.pdf

The Wall Street protest first caught my attention when I read an article by Naomi Klein on Occupy Wall Street published in The Guardian – ‘It’s down to us – the 99%’. I have great respect for Naomi Klein since reading her book ‘Future Shock’ . It changed how I see the world.

She wrote about Occupy Wall Street: “I am talking about changing the underlying values that govern our society. That is hard to fit into a single media-friendly demand, and it’s also hard to figure out how to do it. But it is no less urgent for being difficult. That is what I see happening in this square. In the way you are feeding each other, keeping each other warm, sharing information freely and proving health care, meditation classes and empowerment training. My favorite sign here says “I care about you.” In a culture that trains people to avoid each other’s gaze, to say, “Let them die,” that is a deeply radical statement.”

I was planning a trip to visit family in New York and was looking out for what was going on in the city and what might I do while I was there in between going out for dinner and catching up with my numerous welcoming cousins. I googled ‘Liberty Plaza’ and found the Occupy Wall Street New York General Assembly site.

I was drawn in by the video showcasing their direct democracy practice – CONSENSUS. There I could see the call and response conduct of the General Assemblies – the amplification through human microphones – similar to reciting the catechism except the words are not pre-ordained, they are of the moment. I could also sense the energy and excitement around direct democracy, participation, the inclusion of marginalized and hard to hear voices. Things that I have felt passionate about for many years.

The video explains and demonstrates the process:

Mic check (“Mic check”) Our process is direct democracy (“Our process is direct democracy”) we are all part of this movement (“we are all part of this movement”) we amplify each others voices (“we amplify each others voices ) so we can hear one another (“so we can hear one another “)there is no hierarchy (“there is no hierarchy”).

A young woman explains:

It is important that the means reflect the ends we want to achieve. We want to have more representation in our government and our economy. So in trying to create that every decision has to be made through of process of General Assemblies and working groups.

Consensus decision making is messy and complicated and slow. It’s in the nuance of things; the deep thrashing out of things where everyone feels represented and heard which is the only way we can actually change a system – I think.

The video also shows how the flow of the meeting is helped by using hand signals which cut down on interruptions.

I kept checking out the web site, noting down the times of the General Assemblies and alsothe working groups and trainings schedule. I made a note that 6.45 – 7.45 pm every day wasa teach-in introduction to Direct Democracy and facilitation training. I also noted that PeteSeeger had been at Wall Street the previous Saturday – o to be there! On my way to NewYork visiting my nephew in Boston, we drove past the Occupy Boston site – a huddle of tents along the sidewalk. They looked thin on the ground and I wondered whether Wall Street would feel so sparse.

When I got to New York, I met a friend for lunch. She said while you are here you must go down to Wall Street and advised me to go at the time of the General Assembly (7 – 9.30 pm every evening). She said this gave the best insight into what was happening down there and it was inspiring for those of us who care about social justice, community, change. She had been down several times with her husband, a journalist, and had found it inspiring experiencing the youth, energy and optimism. Something those of us who are a bit longer in the tooth have been struggling to reconnect with as we witness the blinkered and hypocritical ‘austerity’ framing of the current crisis.

So on Wednesday evening I meet my friends Jill and Chris in a diner opposite Rector Street subway station. It’s getting dark and we make our way towards Zuccotti Park (also known as Liberty Plaza). There is no sense in the approaching streets that there is a movement afoot. I don’t see anyone I think may be on their way there so we can follow them. Will we find the occupation? And there it is – a small square just passed Trinity Church.

The square is packed with blue plastic tarpaulins, homemade signs and makeshift tables. We are approached by two young people offering free hugs – we grimace at each other.

We skirt the square, hearing no loud sounds so ask where the General Assembly is. We are directed to the top of the square. There is a gathering of people there and we stop at the information table. I pick up a leaflet that outlines the General Assembly process and illustrates the hand signals involved. On the back there is a map of the activities at Liberty Plaza – the sleeping area, the Kitchen, Media, lost and found, Library and the ‘the weird red thing’ a large iron sculpture/structure.

There is also a leaflet that explains the protocols of Sobriety, Respect for Others and their property, Liberty Plaza and its Flowers : ‘Our ability to uphold the beauty of this park well represents our commitment to a better world.’ The emphasis is on the process – it is how the occupiers conduct themselves and respect each other and their environment that is their message – they are practicing what they preach with great attention to detail.

I pick up a well produced broadsheet ‘The Occupied Wall Street Journal’ Sat Oct 22, 2011 with the image of a red sweeping brush on the mast head. This signifies the clean up of the park using donated plastic brooms that took place in anticipation of an announcement by the mayor of New York that the plaza would be cleared of occupiers in order for it to be cleaned.

A fact sheet is also available. ‘Occupy Wall Street: Frequently Asked Questions. Information includes:

How do you work? …Here we engage in horizontal democracy. This means we are a leaderless movement, in which every voice is equal and autonomous action is encouraged……..In order to ensure that all voices are heard and to facilitate better communication in a non-hierarchical meeting, we commit to engaging in “meeting process”.

What can I expect when I get down there? Something you have never experienced before in this way – a real democratic space. Even if you are not sure you are on-board, come check it out.

We edge our way down into the General Assembly. There is a proposal to donate $20,000 to the occupation in Oakland which has just been brutally broken up by police using tear gas and rubber bullets; there have been a number of injuries and arrests. The proposers are explaining their proposal. The facilitator is guiding and explaining the process. People are putting themselves forward to go ‘on stack’ (to be called to speak). First up is questions and clarification. The stack is then closed and the Assembly moves on to concerns. A young man is ‘conducting’ the human microphone process – indicating to parts of the gathering to respond and making sure this is repeated by the wider group so the amplification of voices reaches to those who are furthest from the original speaker. Every so often the process stumbles and he looks weary then regathers his energy and pitches back in. ‘Friendly amendments’ to the proposal are taken and there is the occasional ‘temperature check’ to ascertain the mood of the gathering and whether progress is being made towards consensus.Hands twinkle agreement in the night air.

As we stand there we are gradually drawn in and become part of the human microphone process, calling out the phrases that are being spoken. At one point the process appears to be breaking down as one young man is overcome by his strength of feeling and need to be heard. He ignores the process and just jumps in, shouting out his views. The gathering responds by chanting ‘mic check; mic check’. Someone holds out a jacket in front of his face in order to muffle the sound of his voice. A couple of people move toward him and ‘elbow’ him out of the centre of the space ‘with love’. There are frequent references to love and compassion from the facilitator as he moves the process slowly forward. There are a couple of ‘blocks’ which are heard and result in further friendly amendments. This is successful in keeping the proposal live. Every so often the proposers are asked to respond to friendly amendments or to the issues raised as blocks. Time is running out as the drums begin to call together a march planned for 9 pm to go to City Hall in solidarity with Occupy Oakland.

People have concerns about setting a precedent by giving money. They want a new kick start fund to raise additional funds specifically to support other occupations. There is a lack of clarity around the finances and someone from the Finance working group is sought to come and explain. It takes some time to find someone. Eventually he arrives and accounts for the amount of money available but also puts forward a view that OWS needs all the money that it has as it is costing so much every day and the funds won’t last that long. There is some discussion as to whether the proposers have subverted the process by using the GA to bypass the finance working group – or that the finance working group is not transparent and thus exerting undue influence. OWS is the ‘richest’ of the occupations and has the greater ability to raise funds. They have about $1/4 million! Their expenses include feeding everyone who is part of the occupation.

There are friendly amendments to increase the amount of money to be sent to Oakland and to send them tents as well. Just after 9 pm agreement is reached to send $20,000 + tents. It seems to me that it is the lack of opposition to the principle of the proposal that determines the identification of consensus. It is the finer details that are the subject of the discussions. The sound of drums is becoming urgent and many then break away to join the march. The General Assembly moves on to consider a proposal for a cultural gathering in Central Park which will be ‘awesome’!

We make our way slowly down through the square, taking pictures and building our snapshot impressions of the occupations. I pause at another info desk where the workshop schedule is on display to find out about the Direct Democracy training and get directions to the Atrium where it is held.

On the subway we talk about what we have experienced – it has been a positive and energizing experience. For Chris there are some similarities (such as the use of hand signals) with his experience in the Woodcraft Folk. We were impressed by the process and how they handled the disruptive individual. Speaking through the human microphone (which seems to have come about because the camp was denied a sound permit) means people have to think more concisely about what they want to say; it also makes it very hard for someone to grandstand or dominate the discussion. We weren’t clear whether the consensus was truly comprehensive. While hand signals were used extensively, people were sometimes using them interchangeably with a lack of distinction between the different functions. We had also noticed an air of exhaustion about the people in the different facilitation roles.

We end the evening at The Fabulous Jalopy Theatre and School of Music tucked away in Brooklyn. As we settle down with our jam jars of beer, the 99% String Band strike up. They are fresh down from Wall Street where they are part of the sanitation Working Group. They encourage everyone to get down there and support the occupation. They describe how they have had square dances down there – sometimes at 2 am! I decide that my best opportunity to attend the Direct Democracy training will be the following day. I spent the day on Staten Island looking into family history. Standing at a cold, wet and windy bus stop on my way back to the ferry I try to imagine the Atrium where the working groups are held. I picture an open amphitheatre type space with groups in different corners, huddling against the weather. I’m not sure if I’ve got the stamina for this. I’ve also overstayed my time at the Staten Island archives and will probably miss the beginning of the workshop – will I be able to find it? Will I miss the introduction to the method and to its origins? I decide to give it a go and if it’s not working out for me to find a bar or coffee shop to pass the time before I’m due to meet my cousin for dinner. I’m cold and damp and when I get out of the subway at Rector Street again it’s dark and raining with the wind getting up. People are hurrying off from work, heads down, umbrellas flapping alarmingly at eye level and threatening to crowd me off the sidewalk and into the puddles. The ground is wet and puddled and Wall Street glistens like a dark canyon. There are some barricades and mounted police – people are arriving for some swanky function in their evening dress. A far cry from the tarpaulins and ponchos of Liberty Plaza! I’m looking for 60 Wall Street – and here it is!

I enter through revolving doors into a warm, light and spacious indoor plaza. The ceiling soars above, there are palm trees and coffee shops dotted around the edges. Imagine a cross between the polish and gleam of Meadowhall and the light and space of the Winter Gardens.

Everywhere there are groups of people huddled together on white plastic chairs – discussing, working on their lap tops, making posters and signs. I ask someone on the edge of each group which group are they and eventually find the Facilitation training group in deep discussion. I crouch down on the floor between the chairs to join in. A woman tells me that we are not allowed to sit on the floor – clearly a compromise reached with the management of the Atrium and one that the movement is adhering to in return for access to the space. I quickly find a chair and bring it over. A young woman with great energy is giving an explanation of the direct democracy process, following the steps written out on a large sheet of flipchart paper. There are about 6 or 7 people listening and asking questions.

There is a lot of interest in how the process is directed – is this done by the facilitator? Or the proposers of the item under discussion? It seems that it is primarily the proposers who make the judgement about progress towards consensus or whether further discussion or working group time is needed. The use of the ‘temperature check’ is important and there is discussion about how accurate this can be. A couple of the people in the group haven’t attended a General Assembly as so their questions are ‘academic’.

The young woman holding the flipchart is from Vancouver. She has attended the facilitation working group where it is decided who will take on the roles at the General Assembly. She says they want to maintain gender balance but there aren’t enough women (only 5) who have had the training and built the experience. People usually start out with a supporting role such as taking names for the stack. She is here to learn more about the process to take back to Vancouver where they may use some of it to adapt the process that they are already using there. There is a part of the process known as ‘stand aside’ which hasn’t yet been brought into use at Wall Street. It forms part of the discussion about how to identify when consensus has been reached.

It turns out that the General Assembly the next day is going to consider a proposal to create a Spokes Council to work alongside the General Assembly. Someone comes round handing out copies saying to people you can have one if you are sure you will be at the GA for the discussion. I take a copy anyway! It is a four page ‘living document’ submitted by the Structure Working Group in recognition that the General Assembly is “struggling to meet the day-to-day operational needs of the Working Groups and Caucuses.” It lists a number of challenges around the role of the General Assembly that have been identified in discussion. These include: a lack of transparency about the activities of the working groups; fluctuating attendance that undermines consistency and strategic decision making; lack of accountability over finances and a lack of time for participants to get to know each other and build meaningful relationships. The Spokes Council is designed to combine large group participation with small group deliberation and consensus process. It draws on experience from many movement including the Zapatistas in Chiapas, Mexico,, the Women’s Movement in the US and the post-Tiananmen Square movement in China. The proposal can be downloaded from www.nycga.net/spokes-council/

The young woman facilitating the group is getting tired and time is running out. We thank her for her time. I ask her about the origins of this consensus process – she mentions ‘Roberts Rules of Order’. I need to find out more.

Another young woman in the group is going off to the Sustainability Working Group. She says there is so much going on that she wants to be involved in – she can’t fit it all in. The Sustainability group is working on showing by example e.g. composting and re-cycling; using bicycles to transport compost to community gardens. I wonder about the overall sustainability of the camp – how long will it continue? What might it evolve into? I wish her well and after taking some general pix of the space and the ongoing working group discussions head off back out into the rain to meet up for my family dinner.

My brief introduction to the Wall Street Occupation was positive and energizing. To me, it offers the first opportunity I’ve come across to respond positively to the dire situation we are in. Talking to friends after the election of the Coalition government and the start of the era of cuts and austerity we shared a sense of disorientation, uncertainty and lack of alternatives. We found ourselves in a new and changing landscape with few familiar landmarks and a steady erosion of the activities and networks of which we were part. It felt like there was nothing to be done.

Talking to family and friends the main critique of this movement is the lack of ‘message’ or programme of demands. How will they know if they have achieved what they have set out to do if they don’t have a series of demands? What is their purpose? I believe in the vital role of process – the ‘how’ as opposed to the ‘what’ – so I am not so troubled by this perceived lack of focus to the movement. The mode of governance is the message. This movement is about being the change that we want to see. ‘It is the world we are becoming’¹

The occupations have raised the issues – at last we are coming together, discussing and debating our current situation, learning about its roots, promoting the idea that there are alternatives and that these will come about through us being part of them. The camps provide a focus and a platform for a plethora of alternative thinking and culture; an open and accessible opportunity to bring ideas and alternatives to the fore for debate and discussion. A global conversation about values, equality, economics and power is challenging the supposed inevitability of austerity programmes and cuts in public services. It makes a mockery of the statement: ‘there is no alternative’!

I hope we can sustain this movement, grow Tent City Universities ² (“Information is shock resistance”) and embed the practice of direct democracy and consensus building. But there are still big questions and challenges. Process alone is not sufficient to bring about change. Arriving back in Sheffield I take a taxi home. Coming up from the station we are diverted as Spital Hill is closed off. I think it’s because the new mega Tesco has opened up. When we turn back onto Burngreave Road I look back down Spital Hill and see the all too familiar police tape and vehicles. An 18 yr old young man had been shot and has died. We have a long way to travel in making our connections and bringing about the changes that might have saved his life. So let’s get to it.

Direct Democracy and consensus decision making

Some starting points for finding out more about Direct Democracy and consensus decision making:

• New York General Assembly Guide
• Quick guide on group dynamics in people’s assemblies
• How the New York General Assembly was created
• Briefings and guides on consensus decision making
• An interesting blog

Footnotes

1. Occupied Wall Street Journal Issue 3 22.10.11 http://occupiedwallstjournal.com/

2. http://tentcityuniversity.occupylsx.org/

He sang:

1. The World Turned Upside Down, composed by Leon Rosselson in 1975
2. Which Side Are You On?, composed by Florence Reece in 1931
3. There is Power in a Union, composed by Joe Hill in 1913
4. John T Was a Banker, Billy Bragg 2011
5. The Internationale

You can download a MP3 of the lunchtime talk or listen using the player below, following are some photos that were taken during the talk.

Smash EDO are planning a summer of resistance against EDO in 2012, and want groups from all over the country to play a part.

This talk was organised in partnership with the Sheffield Palestine Solidarity campaign.

It is somewhat regrettable that the correspondence received from Cathedral Management should be made public however the group feel it important that the congregation of the Cathedral – many of whom are vocal supporters of the Occupation – and the wider public, should be made aware of the confrontational approach of the Cathedral, who continue to question the validity of the Occupation and to undermine its presence through exaggerated concerns about Health and Safety and other minutiae.

Please be in no doubt that the Health and Safety of all at the camp, and the cathedral staff and visitors, is a real concern which Occupy Sheffield takes seriously.

However, Occupy Sheffield would like to invite the Cathedral to join with us in confronting the serious issues that the Occupation is dealing with.  There is evidently a great deal of synergy between the goals of the Occupy Movement and those of the Christian church. Occupy Sheffield is confident more could be achieved by working together – specifically in relation to Sheffield’s homeless problem with which Occupy Sheffield is not only ‘up close and personal’, but for which the camp is actively providing welfare support on a 24/7 basis – something that not even the Archer Project (which Occupy Sheffield wholeheartedly supports) can offer.

It is a matter of some disappointment that the Cathedral seem intent to continue along an obstreperous and obstructive path, rather than embrace this opportunity to reaffirm the commitment of the Church to its core doctrine of seeking an equable and just society through courage, dialogue and action.

Occupy Sheffield urge members of the Cathedral’s clergy and congregation to join the movement and confront the inequalities of our society firm in the understanding that only by standing together can common goals be achieved.  The Cathedral is invited to acknowledge that their initial fears about the Occupation have been unrealised, and that now is the time to enter into a new phase of co-operation and dialogue.

OCCUPY SHEFFIELD

Initial statement from the Cathedral

Below is the statement on behalf of the Cathedral’s governing body, the Cathedral Chapter on the first day (5th Nov) of Occupy Sheffield.

The protestors do not have the Cathedral’s permission to use the churchyard. The Cathedral does however respect the protestors’ right to make their voice heard. Some of what they are saying is very important.

For over twenty years the Cathedral has worked with partners throughout the city and region to give a voice to the homeless, the most vulnerable people in our community. It is our hope that the care the Cathedral Archer Project offers to many very needy people will not be impeded or reduced by the presence of protestors here.

The Cathedral remains open to visitors and for worship and prayer. The Cathedral Archer Project will also maintain its regular opening hours.

The Very Reverend Peter Bradley 5th November

Correspondence from the Cathedral

To follow are all emails received by Occupy Sheffield from the Cathedral to date:

From: Carl Hutton
Sent: 10 November 2011 23:42
To: info@occupysheffield.org.uk
Subject: Security / Guards on Duty on the Cathedral Forecourt / Church yard

Dear Occupy Sheffield Protestors

I am reliably informed that you currently have SIA licensed security guards patrolling the Cathedral Forecourt this evening which Occupy Sheffield do not have permission from Sheffield Cathedral to be on, in order to resolve various anti social behavior problems that you have encountered over the last few evenings.

Please can I draw your attention as a matter of urgency to the fact that the security guards are not insured to work on Cathedral land as we have not consented to their use as Occupy Sheffield are trespassing on Cathedral property.  Should there be an incident tonight requiring the physical intervention of one of the security guards, our understanding from the Police and our legal advisors is that they could be charged with assault.  The Cathedral made several attempts to contact the security company you are using this afternoon to make them aware of the significant risk they were placing members of staff in by working on Cathedral property, unfortunately despite our efforts our calls were not taken or returned.

In fairness to the security guards who you have contracted to undertake this work, can I please suggest you inform them immediately of this situation and the position that Occupy Sheffield have placed them in as not to do so places all participants of the Occupy Sheffield protest individually in a very vulnerable legal position should any incidents happen later in the evening.

I will raise this matter again tomorrow afternoon at a meeting arranged with representatives of Occupy Sheffield.

Carl Hutton

General  Manager

Subject: Sheffield Cathedral – Areas of concern
Date: Sat, 12 Nov 2011 16:29:59 +0000
From: Carl Hutton
To: info@occupysheffield.org.uk

Dear Occupy Sheffield Protestors

Following on from the dialogue meeting yesterday between representatives of the Cathedral and the Occupy Sheffield Movement, the Cathedral raised concerns over Occupy Sheffield requesting donations on Cathedral land and leafleting without an appropriate license, this morning Cathedral staff had to move 2 individuals who had set up a stall in front of the cathedral, clearly displaying Occupy Sheffield posters and propaganda on their stall whilst also distributing the Socialist Worker.

Prior to moving the individuals on, the Occupy Sheffield camp was approached so that a request for this activity to be stopped could be taken forward by Occupy Sheffield.  The response to this request was that the individuals concerned had nothing to do with Occupy Sheffield but were  related to the Socialist party.   The attitude of members in the camp to Cathedral representatives was described to me as hostile – again not ideal when such concerns had been raised in a meeting the day before to representatives of Occupy Sheffield.

After this dialogue the Cathedral staff moved on the individuals only to witness throughout the afternoon at least one of the individuals from the Socialist Party being in and around the camp for most of the afternoon.  As stated yesterday the Cathedral has no option but to take the view that individuals who are associating with Occupy Sheffield are part of Occupy Sheffield.  So we request again that no donations are asked for or taken on Cathedral land.

Separately we have also identified to members of the camp the unacceptable conditions of the site around the HMS Sheffield Memorial (including  tree) currently comprising of several pallets (also a fire hazard) a chained up bike and tarpaulin.  This memorial is a focus for activity around Remembrance Sunday and has left a member of the public who visits the memorial every year in distress this afternoon.   Please sort this immediately so further upset is not caused to other members of the local community who the Cathedral serves on a daily basis.  This concern was raised with representatives of Occupy Sheffield yesterday, but since this meeting the condition of the camp as a whole and specifically the area around the memorial has quickly deteriorated to unacceptable levels.

We are repeatedly drawing your attention to the fact that you do not have permission and you have no invitation to use our land for your protest.  Despite this we are trying to show a degree of tolerance to your activities.  Incidents such as today’s issue undermines our stance and your stated objective not to hinder the Cathedral in its work.

Please raise these matters at your next General Assembly.

Carl Hutton

General  Manager

Subject: Sheffield Cathedral – Issues of concern
Date: Sun, 13 Nov 2011 13:58:17 +0000
From: Carl Hutton
To: info@occupysheffield.org.uk

Dear Occupy Sheffield Protestors

At the meeting  on Friday between representatives of Sheffield Cathedral and Occupy Sheffield, the Cathedral outlined a number of events taking place at the Cathedral over the coming weeks so that Occupy Sheffield were able to ensure that these events take place without interference.  In light of this dialogue it is unfortunate that the Cathedral only became aware of the intended performance of Billy Bragg on Cathedral land on this coming Tuesday via the internet rather than through the dialogue meeting.

With regards to the Billy Bragg performance on Tuesday we need clarification as to the health and safety measures Occupy Sheffield intend to have in place should a number of people arrive on the Cathedral Forecourt so that the safety of members of the public, members of the Occupy Sheffield, member of staff at Sheffield Cathedral and Billy Bragg are not put at risk on Cathedral land, land which you do not have permission to be on. For your information it is the Cathedrals understanding that legally each member of Occupy Sheffield would be individually liable should any incident be encountered in relation to the visit and performance  of Billy Bragg on Cathedral land when we have stated you do not have permission to occupy our land.

On a related matter,  the Cathedral outlined that one of the key criteria for the Cathedral to maintain its position of tolerance towards Occupy Sheffield was on the basis that certain health and safety matters were acknowledged and addressed, these included the need for Occupy Sheffield not to have any lit fires on site.  Last night at 11.40pm several members of the Cathedral team including myself saw a lit fire being used by Occupy Sheffield on the encampment, please stop this practice immediately as otherwise the Cathedral will be required to review its current tolerant approach to dealing with Occupy Sheffield.

Finally the Cathedral has stated that other key criteria for the Cathedrals continued tolerance towards Occupy Sheffield to be maintained include the stipulation that no users of the Cathedral be they staff, clergy, the congregation or visitors are verbally or physically abused.  So far there is no suggestion this has happened.  However we are repeatedly receiving information with regards incidents within the camp which do not reflect well on Occupy Sheffield with regards the respect you are showing each other within the campsite which as you are illegally on our land we have to draw to your attention. For example last night I witnessed a significant altercation within your camp in full view of a number of members of the public which seemed to include different factions your the camp having to restrain two individuals from attacking each other.  The result of this unsavory incident will be me consulting with colleagues at the Cathedral on Monday as to whether a further stipulation is that members of Occupy Sheffield do not verbally abuse or physically abuse one another in order for the Cathedral to maintain its position of tolerance.  I will also be raising this matter with the Police.

Carl Hutton

General  Manager

Reply to the Cathedral

Subject: Re: Sheffield Cathedral – Issues of concern
Date: Mon, 14 Nov 2011 09:40:16 +0000
From: Occupy Sheffield info@occupysheffield.org.uk
To: Carl Hutton

Please be in no doubt that the Health and Safety issues you noticed have already been dealt with and we will be sharing our H&S plan for Billy Bragg on Tuesday with yourselves after it has been agreed with the relevant authorities. We will be in contact with you Monday afternoon to ascertain any specific H&S requirements, over and above the normal.

We feel it is important to address the final point in your letter, where you suggest that ‘members of Occupy Sheffield do not verbally abuse or physically abuse one another in order for the Cathedral to maintain its position of tolerance’. Firstly, the condition of respect and nonviolence is fundamental to this movement, but is also already in our code of conduct.

Secondly, Occupy Sheffield is an open camp, and we feel it our moral duty to welcome all comers (with some limitations – fascist groups are not welcome), this means welcoming people who will potentially behave badly. We have become a magnet, not only for well-meaning, well-behaved protestors, but also for troubled people who frequently have drug and behavioural issues. We feel that for the Cathedral to enact the implied threat to “withdraw its position of tolerance” for Occupy Sheffield on the basis of the behaviour of a minority, is no different to the Cathedral “withdrawing its position of tolerance” for those people directly. We are doing our utmost to uphold our obligation to the most needy in society, whilst at the same time continuing to push forward our main goal of raising awareness of the crisis of exaggerated riches for the few, and economic frustration for the many. Our approach is open and consensual, and we welcome your ideas as to how we should best deal with this element, during the night-time, overnight and weekends when the Archer Project is closed.

Occupy Sheffield stands firmly in the belief that it was correct to start the camp, and the camp will remain for as long as possible. It is clear from the Occupations world-wide that there is a genuine groundswell of opinion that we must orient our society away from the individualistic, grab-it-while-you-can mentality, and Occupy Sheffield is providing the forum for those discussions.

But we are also a magnet for the sick, the abused and the fallen, and we cannot, and we will not turn our backs on these people.

We ask only that you stand with us for a better world.

Occupy Sheffield

As someone who has been homeless and then done a degree, while being a visually impaired single-parent, I know all too well what it is not to have your voice heard and be permanently marginalised.

I am personally fed up, with the union and trade’s council domination of the whole anti-cuts and challenging of the austerity measures.

Time and again, the same union representatives, executives, key note speakers or prominent figures are given the same platform, to reiterate the same message…

Their message of course is crucial in mobilising a contingency of bureaucratised union culture, which is pitted against some of the toughest anti-union laws in the west.

However, the complaint of myself and others, is the hardest hit, poorest and disadvantaged never, ever get a platform to tell their stories of how this rogue, capitalist blanket regime has affected us.

David writes: “The unions shouldn’t be allowed to hijack a movement that has sprung up from grass roots across all sections of our society without their instigation.”

Who is representing the volunteer sector as it faces slash after slash? Who speaks up for ethnic minorities, the homeless, the unemployed, people with additional needs or tenant’s associations?

With these questions in mind, I went to the Occupy Sheffield camp and sought the opinion of others:

Lesley stressed: “I would like to see, more people from the communities coming forward — especially ethnic minorities, this is a very white camp.”

Gerry said what was so great about Uncut, is real people were taking charge in directly challenging the rich and powerful, like when they turned a bank into a library.

Adam felt strongly that, the homeless or jobless weren’t being acknowledged, as he pointed out people can’t be expected to live on £100 per fortnight.

As I spoke to several people and listened to what people wanted at the general assembly, it was unanimous: people are there and passionate about giving a collective voice to those who are never given the opportunity.

The widespread occupation movement, is a coming together of communities who have no representation or platform to be heard — we are the majority, with no executives to rally our plight; we are the 99% silenced no more! (Challenging the bankers, politicians, rich and influential, who are the 1% leading us toward self-destruction).

Thankfully, there is now the ambition to have a rally, where people from the most marginalised in society can make their voices heard.

In human terms, as Chris stated:

“We are given the gift of a voice — but what good is it if we can’t speak?”

How right he is, so lets have a rally with speakers from the above mentioned communities; a rally from the bottom — our rally, THE RALLY OF THE 99%!

As a final yet crucial thought, I strongly feel, as Occupy London Stock Exchange are now having a rally; they must be localised and widespread, to raise the awareness that — the movement is everywhere…

Contributions from:

Lesley, Gerry, Adam, Chris and David K

On 4th November a Press release was issued:

Occupy Sheffield is due to start on Saturday the 5th of November at 12 mid-day. There will be a general assembly on the City Hall steps to discuss and agree through consensus which of three potential sites will be occupied. The proposed sites are Devonshire Green, The Peace Gardens or the Cathedral forecourt. A generally positive response has been received from both the Sheffield City Management and South Yorkshire Police with respect to all three sites, the Cathedral management’s response however could be described as being somewhat less than friendly.

We are committed to a peaceful expression of our views and intend to engage with a broad range of interested people and groups. We invite all those who are committed to non-violent protest to join us and spread the word and gain voices to help define our futures

We are the 99% and we are ‘Occupy Sheffield

facebook.com/occupysheffield

Occupy Sheffield is part of the global occupation which has been inspired by Occupy Wall Street, see the initial statement from Occupy Sheffield.

See the see the occupywiki for more info about Occupy Sheffield and the wishlist of things needed.

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