I suspect that the happy campers of Occupy London Stock Exchange might also prefer the shores of Loch Enoch or the upper Dart valley to their concrete surroundings in the shadow of St Paul's Cathedral. But this is purposeful tenting, seeking to confront rather than escape the injustices of modern life. And Occupy The Chilterns wouldn't have had the same impact, although its time may come if the government perseveres with the eco-vandalism of HS2.
I met a banker friend last night for a drink after work, and went via St Paul's to check out this urban wild camp. The protest is regaining its focus on corporate greed, now that the Church of England has come to its senses and stopped eviction proceedings. The campers' other landlord, the Corporation of London, is running a campaign in the run-up to the Olympics called 'Green to Gold', to promote awareness of the open green spaces it manages. Perhaps they could tempt the protesters to a nice leafy site on Hampstead Heath?
It's hard not to be impressed by the Occupy camp, with its democracy and idealism, and guy ropes lashed to storm drains (you try getting a tent peg into a pavement). What struck me most was there was so much dialogue going on, with protesters, reporters, passers-by, tourists, supporters and opponents all engaged in the creative thrum of discussion.
As a species, we've evolved a strategy to cope with the numbers of people we encounter in towns and cities: we don't acknowledge their presence, we avoid eye contact and we certainly don't start conversations about the cost of capitalism. If and when this bold urban camp is struck, the people left behind will go back to ignoring each other. But I don't think the voices of dissent this winter will easily be silenced, and this public debate is healthy. It's amazing what you can do with a tent.
