PROTESTERS set up a small camp outside Bournemouth Town Hall as part of the anti-capitalist campaign.

A group of fewer than 20 people marched from Bournemouth Gardens with banners displaying such slogans as “Cut bankers’ bonuses, not our pensions” and “We are the 99 per cent”.

As police watched from a parked van, one donned a Guy Fawkes mask and used a loud hailer to exhort passers-by to join in. He admitted that the protest had been inspired by others at St Paul’s Cathedral in London and Wall Street.

“There are hundreds of thousands of people standing up and fighting against international greed and corruption.

“Everything has to change. I just care about the world and my fellow human beings,” he told the Echo.

He added that there was no end date for the protest.

“Some of us will be camping here. Some of us have jobs and businesses to run but will be supporting it as much as we can.”

A public sector worker from Winton said: “There’s so much wrong with the system when bankers and chief executives can get 50 per cent pay rises. I did everything right – I went to university, worked hard, got a decent job and I’m only just surviving.”

Royal Navy pensioner George Brown said he had never taken part in any other demonstrations before joining the St Paul’s protest, but had been moved to do so by the loss in value of his pension.

Several campaigners stayed in their tents overnight.