"Creating a space for democracy Reporting & video: Corinna Lotz; photos: Peter Arkell “Our aim is to bring unity to all the different single issue campaigns in order to focus on the deficit in our democracy,” Matt Bonner said, standing below Churchill’s statue, opposite the Houses of Parliament. Along with other campaigners, he had weathered a cold night on the narrow strip of pavement trying to sleep as traffic and the sound of Big Ben’s chimes continued overnight. It was the second day of Occupy Democracy’s third attempt to occupy Parliament Square. “We’ve managed to maintain a small space, although we were threatened with arrest if we attempted to expand from the pavement to the Green – unlike our earlier occupation in October. The night before, some 100 police officers ringed the protesters with a double kettle while the occupiers continued with their discussions. “Westminster is the natural place to highlight the issue of democracy, as well as challenge the farcical bye-laws that threaten our right to protest. ”We’ve had workshops and debates on a range of issues, focusing particularly on the housing crisis. We are also building a concrete set of demands to see what kind of alternatives we would like to see. “Occupy Democracy has been using this space to democratically assemble – that is in itself the way that we work to consensus and the processes we use are to create a truly democratic space. So I personally would be for any kind of that creative platform for that purpose.” "
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