Anti-capitalist protesters in London were evicted from outside St Paul’s Cathedral today, more than four months since their occupation began.
Police said 20 people had so far been arrested in the “largely peaceful” operation.
Bailiffs and police arrived at the site early this morning, five days after the Occupy London campaign was refused permission by the Court of Appeal to challenge orders evicting protesters.
Confirming the eviction had begun, City of London Corporation said in a statement: “We regret that it has come to this but the High Court judgment speaks for itself and the Court of Appeal has confirmed that judgment.
“High Court enforcement officers employed by the City of London Corporation are undertaking the removal with the police present to ensure public safety and maintain order. We would ask protesters to move on peaceably.
“The City of London Corporation is ensuring vulnerable people are being helped and supported to find appropriate accommodation in partnership with Broadway, a charity for the homeless.
“The High Court found in favour of the City of London Corporation in the case against the camp at St Paul’s on January 18th 2012. The High Court found that the City of London Corporation ‘behaved both responsibly and fairly throughout’.”
Granting orders for possession and injunctions against Occupy London at the High Court last month, Mr Justice Lindblom said the proposed action by the City of London Corporation - which it pledged not to enforce pending appeal - was “entirely lawful and justified”, as well as necessary and proportionate.
The appeal judges, headed by the Master of the Rolls, Lord Neuberger, said that the protesters had raised no arguable case. The corporation called on campers to remove their tents voluntarily.
Although some remained on site when police arrived, many began dismantling the equipment before bailiffs moved in.
Gary Sherborne (50) said: “We haven’t got any choice and I’d rather protect the tent for another day without it being destroyed by the bailiffs.”
Meanwhile, a group of protesters remained defiant, waving flags and banging tambourines on top of a makeshift wooden structure facing the cathedral. However, this platform was eventually dismantled by bailiffs after police in riot gear surrounded it. Campaigners were also cleared from the steps of the cathedral.
A City of London Police spokesman said “a small minority of protesters obstructed the work of bailiffs” and 20 arrests had been made by 4.30am. “The operation was largely peaceful,” he said.
An Occupy London spokesman said its School of Ideas in a disused school building in Islington, north London, had also been evicted.
Supporter Kai Wargalla, a 27-year-old student from Germany who has been camping at St Paul’s since the occupation began on October 15th, said: “It’s really sad what’s happening today but I think we can be proud of what we’ve achieved. Our community is being attacked here, but we’re going to reconvene and come back stronger.”
She said many of the campers from St Paul’s planned to go to one of the group’s other sites in Finsbury Square instead, and extra tents would be put up following the unexpected eviction from the School of Ideas.
Ms Wargalla was one of a number of trained “legal observers” who were monitoring the eviction process on behalf of the campaigners and reminding them of their rights.
Commenting on today’s eviction, Ms Wargalla said: “We hadn’t expected to be evicted from the cathedral steps because previously the church has said it would give us sanctuary when there’s a violent eviction.
“There was also some really unnecessary tension and stress caused by the police when they told us we had five minutes to take our things from the camp," she said. “It wasn’t that violent today, but the violence we did see came from the police and the bailiffs.”
The protest forced a week-long closure of the cathedral in late October, the first time it had been closed since the second World War, after officials received a report by health and safety officials.
The cathedral, which has been the focus point for royal celebrations including Queen Victoria’s Jubilee and the marriage of
Lady Diana Spencer to the Prince of Wales on July 29th 1981, is one of London’s best loved tourist attractions and draws between 2,000 and 3,000 worshippers each Sunday but costs £20,000 per day to run.
It also staged the funerals of Lord Nelson, the Duke of Wellington and Sir Winston Churchill, the peace services marking the end of the First and Second World Wars and more recently the Service of Remembrance and Commemoration for the September 11 terrorist attacks.
During the closure, Canon Dr Giles Fraser, the chancellor of St Paul’s, resigned, saying he feared the church was set on a course of action which could lead to protesters being moved by force.
The Dean of St Paul’s also later resigned. The Rt Rev Graeme Knowles said it had been “a testing time” and mounting criticism had made it “increasingly clear” that his position was “untenable”.
Protesters have received support from high-profile figures including fashion designer Dame Vivienne Westwood and playwright Alan Bennett.
PA