Pulldown

The pulldown of the Occupy Norwich camp began in earnest this afternoon. The shout-out from camp came just before lunchtime and as I work quite near to the camp I was able to nip round in my lunchbreak to talk to the folks there about what was needed, how I could help, and to take literally just a couple of photos.

I chose to post this one as, like it or not, the camp - and many other Occupy camps across the world - has been a home to people who are homeless as well as to those stalwarts who have chosen to stay on camp week aftr week. The homeless people remain homeless.

I and a few other supporters were able to get down there after we had finished work for the day. NIght had fallen, even though it was only 5.30, and the pile of what can only be described as detritus was growing by the minute. Taking down the structures was the easy bit. It was the sheer amount of - yes, crap - that shocked me. It looked like the aftermath of a fire, only nothing had been burned.

I could have taken photos but I chose not to. It would not have served any purpose. Besides, there were others doing that. People I'd seen hovering about the edges of the camp now and again, but never actively engaging.

It was all a bit surreal. 3 police officers standing a little distance away, just watching; a busker playing some heartbrakingly lovely tunes. The only one I can remember is Lou Reed's 'Perfect Day' which took me back to 15th October last year. 2pm. The Global Day of Occupation. He also played some waltzes; a few drunks wanting to know what was happening; a very smartly dressed and well spoken young man coming up to me and saying 'I guess this isn't the time to ask you where I can get some MD from?' As if I would sodding well know!

I couldn't stay very long and felt guilty about leaving others to carry on trying to clear the space. They will be lucky if it's cleared by tomorrow.

Cycling home stinking of piss, my shoes and trousers smeared with sludge (and it wasn't even raining!) I started thinking of those 'others' I had left trying to clear the space. People I didn't know before 15th October. Ian, Simeon, Shiona, Lex, Kitt. Some people whose names I don't know. To be honest I hardly know any of them any better now, apart from the fact that I know we share a sense of dissatisfaction with the current state of society. I hesitate even to call any of them colleagues, comrades or friends. I don't know what to call them. I don't even know if I need to have a name for them.

So. I'll swing by tomorrow morning on my way to work and see what it looks like in daylight.

The camp may be gone but the ideas and determination to bring about social and economic change remain. We just need to work out how.