Stalwarts of Occupy: Joey

Regular OT contributor and full-time occupier Emma Fordham speaks to an integral member of Occupy London about life on camp and why he is here.

EMMA: When did you arrive at OLSX?

JOEY: Friday October 28

EM: What brought you here?

J: I heard about Occupy Wall Street then followed OccupyLSX through the press and internet. I felt drawn to come… I had no home so I was free to come.

EM: What were you doing before you came to St Paul’s?

J: I was working at festivals throughout the summer, that took me to the end of September. I was at a loose end after the festivals so I visited friends and family, then spent a few nights sleeping rough in a park in Yorkshire. I thought about going up to Bilston Glen – an anti-mining protest near Edinburgh – but I heard about Occupy and that felt more immediate.

EM: What have you been doing while staying at the OLSX camp?

J: My first full day here there was a call out at General Assembly for help with recycling so I volunteered. Other people who’d been doing the recycling had to leave so I ended up doing it mostly by myself with some occasional help. I didn’t mean to take on this role… it just happened.

EM: Is camping in the city a hardship or a joy?

J: I’ve had my ups and downs and the camp has experienced some problems but the sense of community is very strong, especially in recent days. People here want to help each other and to send a message saying ‘This is how the wider world could be.’ But the wider world doesn’t encourage community and co-operative attitudes, it needs to be transformed.

EM: Of all the issues Occupy aims to address, what are the most important for you?

J: There are so many. We’re in a recession and the poor people, the dispossessed, the unemployed and low-waged… it’s being demanded of them that they put up with cuts and reduced services, when they already have limited resources. Meanwhile, the bankers and executives and financiers who are largely responsible for the problems continue to get fat wages. The current system obviously works against the majority. It’s fundamentally flawed.

EM: Tell me three things about the current system that you’d most like to change…

J: I’d like to see power resting in local communities. A complete overhaul of the banking and financial systems. And an education system that teaches children to value their own worth, rather than teaching them that the people in power are above them and more important than them. I think it’s really important to empower people from an early age so they know they can make changes rather than accepting the status quo.

EM: How long do you expect to stay at St Paul’s?

J: I’ll be here until the end. Although, if we win the court case and the camp stays on for months, I might take myself away for a while but I’d still be involved and would keep coming back.

EM: Where would you take yourself away to?

J: I’m interested in Occupy Edinburgh, which has the backing of the local council. If I went there I could visit the Bilston Glen anti-mining protest camp too. In the summer I’ll probably work at festivals again. But I’ll definitely stay in the Occupy movement.

By Emma Fordham