Canadian activists and not for profit publishing group Adbusters has sparked a significant protest movement globally, centered in the US.

The movement, Occupy Wall Street, is a protest against social and economic inequality and the influence of corporations and brands on politics. Beginning on September 17, 2011, it has spread to several other US cities, and globally. Adbusters gives it a mission statement:  “Beginning from one simple demand – a presidential commission to separate money from politics – we start setting the agenda for a new America.”

Adbusters have stated the protests take inspiration from the Arab Spring, specifically the Tahrir Square focal point for the revolution. The Occupy Wall Street protest gained publicity after a high-ranking police official pepper sprayed a number of participants; the video went viral online.

The organisers encourage each protest group to formulate its own specific demands, but the focus is on accountability for those deemed responsible for the GFC.

#OccupyWallStreet is no longer trending on Twitter, however the stream is going strong. Click here to view the feed.

‘Occupy’ protests are being or have been staged in Washington, Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago, Miami, Portland, Oregon, Seattle and Denver. Australian equivalents are being held in Melbourne and Adelaide on October 15. Groups in Sydney, Perth and Brisbane appear to be organising themselves. A further 347 protests are currently organised and collated here.

Adbusters was formed in 1989 and produces a global magazine with an international circulation of 120,000. There is a local edition produced for Australia, among many other countries.