Stalwarts Of Occupy: Arthur

Occupier and OT reporter Emma Fordham gets the low down from another of Occupy London’s familiar faces.

EM: When did you get involved in Occupy?

ARTHUR: One week after the OLSX camp set up.

EM: What took you there?

ARTHUR: I was following preparations on Facebook. I wanted to be part of the earlier Tower Bridge protest but I couldn’t afford to get there. When Occupy London Stock Exchange happened and settled at St Paul’s I watched on Livestream then asked my dad to look after my dogs so I could visit and see what it was about first hand.

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

ARTHUR: I was a free range chicken farmer until 18 months ago then I had a crazy awakening, a major life change. I sold off my stuff and began researching everything – religions, history, politics, economics… ending up in the Occupy camp was part of that journey.

EM: How did you spend your time in ?the camp?

ARTHUR: Learning and making myself useful. I made tea, looked after tents and spent a lot of time chatting to members of the public and other occupiers, swapping and sharing knowledge and experiences. I listened to speakers and teachers in Tent City University and I talked to Quakers. I learnt a lot and fitted together little bits of the jigsaw… it was a complete immersion in education.

EM: Did you expect to stay at the camp for four months?

ARTHUR: Not really. I turned up for a day, spent a month in the same clothes, then went home for a week to get clean and pick up some warm clothes so I could stay for the long haul.

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

ARTHUR: A joy, for many reasons. St Paul’s is a high-energy area; there were great people in the camp, it was a bubbling hub of information with a really connected, community feeling. Also, although I’ve always been poor I’ve never had absolutely nothing before and that’s been a valuable experience.

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

ARTHUR: Changing the banking system is at the heart of things but everything people bring up is important. I’ve learnt about issues I didn’t know about before that are really important, like homelessness.

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

ARTHUR: The way we use money – ideally, I’d like to get rid of it. The government – in an ideal world, I think we’d have one world government and online direct democracy. We also need to urgently sort out environmental issues. And – can I have four? – reduce working hours so there aren’t some people bored and jobless while others work 18 hours a day.

EM: What do you think Occupy has achieved so far?

ARTHUR: We’ve increased awareness everywhere, from pubs to boardrooms. We’ve given people hope.

EM: What do you think Occupy should do next?

ARTHUR: Carry on with its educational role and encourage better use of public spaces.

EM: Where will you personally go from here?

ARTHUR: Onwards and upwards!