TURN HYDE PARK INTO TAHRIR SQUARE: ‘STAY 4 1 DAY’. Ian Bone writes (February 8):

The vital importance of holding territory in a protest is demonstrated by Tahrir Square. This has never happpened in recent protests in the UK on a scale so big. So how about turning Hyde Park into Tahrir Square on March 26th -27th?

I hereby launch the ‘STAY 4 1 DAY’  campaign to stay occupying Hyde Park overnight on March 26th and till 5pm on the 27th. Since about 500,000 will already be in occupation for the rally it is already occupied space – all it needs is a refusal to leave. Any aggressive response by the police to clear the park would immediately be compared to Tahrir Square. When the bureaucrats say ‘Go home!’ and ‘Get into your coaches’ they should be greeted by chants of ‘STAY’ and the takeover of the stage. This would demonstrate the tokenistic nature of the TUC’s opposition and divorce them from the more radical elements who decide to stay. More importantly it would reach out to people from all over who want to do something a bit more radical than the TUC but aren’t up for street battles. Of course some people can’t stay all night but could come back early in the morning. The sight of London waking up to occupied territory on Sunday 27th would be new and galvanising. People elsewhere could occupy territory in solidarity in their own town centres. People staying overnight could bring tents, food, blankets and whatever else will be needed. ‘STAY 4 1 DAY’ would need to go viral on youtube, facebook, twitter, would need flyers, stickers, badges. It worked in Egypt it could work here. More details to be worked out but I float it here to see what people think.

Suspend your disbelief comrades and BRING TAHRIR SQUARE TO HYDE PARK on March 26th. ‘STAY 4 1 DAY’ If 10% stay that’ll be 50,000 strong. It will be an aid to other plans not a substitute for them. We can’t wake up on March 27th and think ‘Is that all there was?’. Please re-post everywhere.

N.B.: I’m talking about the Marble Arch/Speakers corner end of Hyde Park at the junction of Park Lane/Oxford street/Edgware Road/Bayswater Rd – so not exactly out of the way!