Finsbury Occupiers Aim For Sustainability

While the City of London Corporation itches to rid St Paul’s of OccupyLSX campers, Finsbury Square campers are getting advice on how to make their camp more sustainable – from the landowners. The occupation has been in talks with the Islington Council, whose land the camp is on.

Finsbury Square occupier Solomon Schonfield had been liaising with the council over issues it had with the camp, which were health, safety and fire based. The council had stated it considered the occupation a “continued trespass against the council,” but recognised the group’s right to protest. Solomon said dealings with the council went “very well” and the camp was trying to comply to all its requests, including replacing the generator with a diesel one, having more fire extinguishers, fire exit strategies and keeping two metres between each tent. Solomon said the council was helpful and gave recommendations on how to make the site safer and more sustainable. They even offered to deal with the camp’s waste, and buy the camp wood chips, to counter the mud that was becoming an issue in the square.

However, the camp did not want to be a financial burden on the council and was trying to source what it needed without cost to the council. Solomon said they were trying to make the camp an attraction for workers, residents and tourists. “We have plans to erect communal spaces, larger tents to house more people and we want to make the square an attraction, and more positive to the community.”

By Stacey Knott