Lots of big discussions at St Paul’s, Finsbury Square and the Bank of Ideas.
What are our aims and objectives?
Are we a direct action group that risks alienating some of the 99% with radical stunts or a more moderate campaign group? Are we here to feed London’s waifs and strays? Or to focus on politics? Do we want to become a not-for-profit limited company, thus making ourselves a more acceptable recipient of donations from wealthy well-wishers? Or would that be a betrayal of our principles?
What are our principles? Can we agree a set of core values that all Occupiers would be happy to commit to? Should we shut down the generator and manage with the limited amount of power our winter-sun solar panels can provide?
What are our priorities for spending? Food for the homeless? Increasing outreach operations to spread our message far and wide? Direct actions that spotlight those responsible for crashing our economy and pillaging our resources? Fuel for the generator so we can keep charging laptops and phones?
Do we want to enter into dialogue with powerful establishment bodies? With the Church? With the Financial Services Authority? Are they trying to co-opt us, fob us off with tweaks to the system, jump on the bandwagon we’ve set rolling?
If we get evicted from St Paul’s will we try to keep a symbolic or informational or educational presence here? What else will we do in the future?
There are a lot of questions this week, the week that the weather finally turned and the chill crept into our bones.
Seeking answers will be challenging because we’re a movement comprised of such diverse voices but it’ll be exciting and eventually fruitful, I’m sure… and there’ll probably be some surprises in store for people who think they know what we’re all about.
Hazel Hedge 
HOI Hazel good to see you are still there. I would like to think with you here from Wales;
First of all staying warm my experience as caravan and tipi dweller LAYERS i have silk on the skin and than wool over it (underwear) with long sleeves than normal clothes, sorry not very vegan, the best i found wool forget any nylon even cotton. For sleeping stay of the ground this is were the frost hangs around. in the tipi i used a sun-bed to sleep on. i realise in the small tents this becomes more difficult still make something of the ground.
Ginger is a good warming herb also cinnamon, horseradish, mustard, sage, yarrow and garlic with parsley for the smell.
I always like the idea that you are a “think tank” for the 99% a counter weight in society for the majority of people who are not represented in the majority of think tanks who advices the society. Do as the other think tanks do become a charity, you do not represent one political view or perhaps a trust like so many of the 1% have done, make a trust for the 99%. You can open a bank account even as an unincorporated group this is easy to set up but you do need some constitution you can do this as a collective. State that you do not accept donations from; governments, cooperations, political parties, in order to remain independent. Please do not become a Limited Company. Open an account with either the Co-op bank or Triodos bank stay away from big banks, instead support the small or even better the micro business.
NO you are not there to feed the ‘waifs and strays’ empower them by all means let them have their say, how did they get in this situation, what solution do they see. Otherwise send them to better organisations, like the church, who can provide their needs.
You could be both doing radical stunts and a campaign group.
Principles this would be my idea a group looking into how the cap between poor and rich happened and how we can make and keep the cap smaller, better distribution of resources, around the world. Keep it open, don’t pin yourself down.
Spending priorities; 1 increase outreach, 2 direct actions to show, 3 fuel for generators, 4 feed the homeless.
YES, by all means do enter into dialogue, make them aware of their mistakes, go in with a set mind, you are not there to compromise.
Future keep focussing on the top 1% let them hear you day after day, the city, the finance system, the cooperations. After eviction keep coming back and back and back, stronger and stronger and stronger.
This is just my voice as all occupation protest are so far away from me and i do not have a car or want to have a car. Swansea is the closest still too far to walk.
Keep it up and keep WARM. wooow a long reply
mAgdA
Keep your bones warm! Proud of you my lovely daughter.