Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Case Study No. 1565: Librarians of UK Uncut

Police Evict Protesters from Barcalys Bank.MP4
2:06
Protesters, encouraged by UkUncut, occupied this branch of Barclays bank in Elephant and Castle in London on Saturday 17th February. They converted the bank branch into a library because they say that if Barclays paid it's "fair" share of tax, public libraries would not have to be cut in this public spending review.

Even though the protesters were being peaceful and had made space for customer to pass through the 'library', the bank manager asks them to leave. A policeman then backs her up.
Tags: police protesters library
Added: 3 years ago
From: Ukbudgetcuts
Views: 428

[video opens in a London Barclays bank, as several protestors are sitting on the floor inside the entranceway reading books (as the camera focuses on a handmade "Make the Banks Pay for Their Crimes" sign) when the female bank manager approaches]
MANAGER: Um, could I ask you guys to leave, please? It's just that you're interfering with our customers getting into their ... getting to the services?
[some of the protestors audibly "shush" her]
PROTESTOR 1: [quietly] We've made a pathway so they can get through ...
MANAGER: Okay, I still would like you to leave, though please.
[a male police officer steps forward]
POLICEMAN: Okay, I'd just like to re-iterate that, obviously, the manager has asked you to leave, and that she's within her right under Section Sixty Eight of the Public Order Act to ask you to leave, because you're impeding the actual process of what people are coming into the bank to do. So you're not doing that, that now means you commit the offense, and obviously I'm asking now if you'd kindly leave the premises. And also, I have powers under Section Sixty Nine of the Criminal Order Act to ask you to leave and not to come back again for a stipulated time. That also comes under penalty of arrest, so I'm asking that if you would kindly now, um, abide by what the manager says, I'll be grateful. Okay?
PROTESTOR 2: Can we ask the customers?
POLICEMAN: Sorry?
PROTESTOR 2: Can we ask the customers what they feel?
POLICEMAN: It doesn't matter, because obviously the manager ... You can ask, but you're interrupting the purpose of what they're here for, okay?
PROTESTOR 3: But we aren't interrupting them. I mean, you're all--
PROTESTOR 4: Would you like to borrow a book?
[a customer tries to walk past the protestors]
PROTESTOR 1: Move in a bit, guys, so they can get through ...
[a bank employee wanders over, and the cameraman tries to engage him]
CAMERAMAN: [from off camera] Waddaya reckon? Should they go, or they should stay?
EMPLOYEE: What does it all mean? I don't understand what you're doing ...
[one of the seated protestors hands the employee a leaflet]
CAMERAMAN: [from off camera] There's uh, there's plenty of information ...
[he walks away, as the protestors continue to sit and read their books]

---

From ukuncut.org:

Barclays Bank, investor in the arms trade, is being supported by our government from our pockets whilst our public services are being slashed. We need schools, hospitals and jobs, not weapons.

We will be transforming the Barclays bank on Commercial road into a library - bring your own book, be in the bank by 1pm and when the librarians start to 'shhhhh', sit down and read!

---

From mirror.co.uk:

PROTESTERS set up an ­impromptu library and comedy gig at Barclays branches around Britain over tax avoidance claims.

UK Uncut supporters hit banks in London and other cities to "open them up" and said one per cent corporation tax was "not acceptable."

In Piccadilly Circus they waved banners saying "books not bonuses!" Barclays, which paid 113 million corporation tax on profits of 11.6 billion in 2009, said: "We comply with taxation laws."

---

From guardian.co.uk:

More than 180 miles west of Barclays Bank's glistening skyscraper in the heart of Canary Wharf, a small group of tax protesters will gather outside one of its lesser-known branches.

At 10am on Saturday in Guildhall Square in Carmarthen, south-west Wales, a handful of campaigners will enter their local Barclays branch and unfurl their banner in protest against tax avoidance.

It will be one of 35 Barclays branches across the UK being occupied as part of UK Uncut, a viral protest collective set up five months ago to oppose government cuts and corporate tax avoidance.

The co-ordinated occupations of Barclays branches will mark the first national day of action against banks by UK Uncut, which has already forced the temporary closure of more than 100 high street stores.

The action in the UK, which comes as banks reveal multimillion-pound bonus packages, is expected to involve a range of peaceful and creative direct actions.

In a foretaste, protesters occupied a London branch of Barclays on Tuesday, turning it into a library. The demonstration coincided with the announcement that average earnings at the bank's investment arm have risen by 23% and that CEO Bob Diamond is in line for a bonus of more than £8m.

Toni Palmer, who lives in Islington, north London, took part in the demonstration.

"The banks caused this economic crisis because of their greed and reckless gambling," she said. "But the people who are really being made to pay for it are ordinary people."

The government cuts mean Islington council is slashing its budget by £52m and cutting a range of services including police community support officers for primary schools, advice services for troubled teenagers, and help with shopping, laundry and cleaning for the elderly.

Palmer said: "Our lives are being devastated by the billion-pound cuts to essential services that we all depend on. But Barclays is paying out bonuses of £2bn. This shows that we are not 'all in this together'."

No comments:

Post a Comment