Occupy the London Stock Exchange: Anonymous Collective’s Presence Puts Authorities on-Edge
Protesters at the London Stock Exchange. Alastair Stevenson

Following the Anonymous Collective's ongoing support of the Occupy movement and the public presence of several "anons" at the Occupy London protest, analysts wonder how long it will be before Anonymous' hacker-cell join their protesting brethren.

Though not confirmed "anons" -- the name used by Anonymous to refer to its members -- Anonymous' presence at the Occupy London protest is obvious, with a number of protesters appearing wearing the Guy Fawkes mask commonly used by the collective.

An IBTimes reporter who was on scene when the protest began found that a number of protesters there were not only wearing the masks, but also carrying Anonymous banners.

Following the arrest of three individuals at the protest's start, analysts speculated that, as it did in the American Occupy movements, Anonymous' hackers may take interest and exact vengeance on the British authorities.

Anonymous had previously issued a series of threats against U.S. authorities following reports of police brutality against Occupy Wall Street protesters. Since the threat was made reports emerged that Anonymous had mounted a failed cyber assault on the New York Stock Exchange.

The Occupy London protest began at noon Saturday just outside St. Paul's Cathedral. During its opening hours, while no exact numbers have been reported, IBTimes reporters at the scene estimated the protesters numbers to be in the low thousands. The protest had previously reported 6,000 individuals had pledged to participate in the protest on its opening day.

In keeping with the other Occupy movements using the slogan, "We are the 99 per cent," the London event opposes the continuing influence of banks and corporations in global politics.

A collection of photos chronicling the protests opening hours can be viewed here.