What surprised the police who came to drive away the protesters was that the Canon Chancellor of the 17th century cathedral asked the police to leave instead and welcomed some of the demonstrators to attend Sunday morning service.

The snowballing global campaign against corporate greed has reached Europe, particularly the capital cities of London and Rome.

Occupy Wall Street protesters camped over the weekend at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London to block access to the London Stock Exchange. Student protesters called for stricter regulation of the financial system.

When police came to drive away the protesters, the Canon Chancellor of the 17th century cathedral asked the police to leave instead and welcomed some of the demonstrators to attend Sunday morning service.

At least 25 police vans and more officers were deployed on side streets.

In Italy, police held simultaneous raids in Rome, Florence and Milan to seize gas masks and balaclavas. However, violence occurred in Rome as demonstrators burned cars, smashed bank windows and attacked a church. Romes mayor, Gianni Alemanno, who estimated the damage at about $1.4 million (€1 million) to public property alone, called the protesters animals.

Reports said the incident resulted in injury to 135 people, including 105 Italian police officers. About 20 people were arrested and charged.

Among the damaged properties was the 18th-century Church of Santi Marcellino and Pietro, which Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said was desecrated. He said a status of the Virgin Mary was thrown into the street and smashed.

The movement, which started in New York about a month ago, has spread to 950 cities in 80 countries. Monday, Occupy Wall Street protests were ongoing in Zurich, Dublin, Amsterdam, Madrid and Sydney.

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