Roman House is fifth occupation by protesters, who want full financial transparency from the City of London Corporation

This article is more than 8 years old

This article is more than 8 years old

Occupy London protesters have taken over an office building in the City in their continuing protest against corporate greed.

Protesters entered Roman House in the Barbican at about 3.30am, the fifth occupation they have carried out to date.

The movement vowed to remain at the abandoned block, which it believes previously housed financial service companies, until the City of London Corporation publishes full details of its City cash accounts.

The protesters are calling for the Corporation to "become a more transparent public body like every other public body in the country".

Supporter Bryn Phillips, 28, said: "If the City agrees to publish its City cash accounts, future and historic, we will leave the building immediately. If it does not, we will take appropriate action until such time as it does."

City of London police arrived at Roman House minutes after the protesters entered the building but no arrests were made, Phillips said.

About 50 protesters took over the building with more expected to join them later, he added.

Berkeley Homes, which owns the building, branded the occupation as misguided and "potentially dangerous". A spokesman said: "We urge the protesters to vacate this building site as quickly as possible as we are very concerned that they are putting both themselves and members of the public in real danger.

"It is not safe for public use, there are holes in the floors and we are in the early stages of asbestos removal.

He added that the building was not – and never had been – owned by the City of London.

On Monday Roman House will be opened to the public for a lecture on the City's "secret finances and lobbying activities". Monday, 23 January, is also the 100-day anniversary of the movement's occupation of the land by St Paul's Cathedral, where they set up camp on October 15 last year.

On Wednesday the high court backed the Corporation's bid to evict the protesters from the area.

But one of the protesters has launched an appeal. Other occupations by the movement include Finsbury Square and a building owned by investment bank UBS, both in the City of London.