Protesters urged to remove tents
Anti-capitalist protesters will today be told to remove their tents outside St Paul’s Cathedral or face legal action.
The City of London Corporation will hand over a letter warning the group that it has 48 hours to clear its campsite or High Court action will be taken to secure their eviction.
Yesterday the row claimed another victim as Dean, the Right Rev Graeme Knowles, resigned saying his position was “untenable”.
His departure followed those of Canon Chancellor of St Paul’s Giles Fraser and part-time chaplain Fraser Dyer.
The Dean made the initial announcement that the historic cathedral, in London, had closed its doors for the first time since the Second World War because of fears over health and safety.
He asked demonstrators to move on, while the former canon chancellor and chaplain resigned because of the way the controversy had been handled, revealing divisions within the cathedral.
In his first comments on the situation, The Archbishop of Canterbury said the protesters had raised “urgent issues”.
Dr Rowan Williams said: “The events of the last couple of weeks have shown very clearly how decisions made in good faith by good people under unusual pressure can have utterly unforeseen and unwelcome consequences, and the clergy of St Paul’s deserve our understanding in these circumstances.
“Graeme Knowles has been a very distinguished Dean of St Paul’s, who has done a great deal to strengthen the pastoral and intellectual life of the cathedral and its involvement in the life of London.
“He will be much missed, and I wish him and Susan (his wife) well in whatever lies ahead.
“The urgent larger issues raised by the protesters at St Paul’s remain very much on the table and we need – as a church and as society as a whole – to work to make sure that they are properly addressed.”
Mr Knowles, who had been Dean for four years, said: “The past fortnight has been a testing time for the chapter and for me personally.
“It has become increasingly clear to me that, as criticism of the cathedral has mounted in the press, media and in public opinion, my position as Dean of St Paul’s was becoming untenable.
“In order to give the opportunity for a fresh approach to the complex and vital questions facing St Paul’s, I have thought it best to stand down as Dean, to allow new leadership to be exercised.
“I do this with great sadness, but I now believe that I am no longer the right person to lead the chapter of this great cathedral.”
St Paul’s and the City of London Corporation announced on Friday they would try to obtain separate High Court injunctions to clear the 200-tent Occupy London camp.
The protesters say they are preparing to respond to any legal action.
Ian Chamberlain, 27, from Occupy London Stock Exchange, said: “They have to serve that notice and give us 48 hours so there is room for us to respond with legal action or whatever.
“Our invitation for dialogue is still there. Liberty offered to facilitate a meeting to have dialogue with the Corporation of London and they haven’t responded yet.”
He added: “We will stay here right until the end and explore legal options to respond to any eviction notice we do receive.”
Protester Joel Benjamin, 29, from Vauxhall, said: “I am saddened that we’ve got a situation where members of the church are resigning.
“It’s not their responsibility – it’s about the financial system, it’s not about the Church of England.”
The Occupy London movement issued a statement saying it was about “social justice, real democracy and challenging the unsustainable financial system that punishes the many and privileges the few”.
It added: “The management of St Paul’s Cathedral is obviously deeply divided over the position they have taken in response to our cause – but our cause has never been directed at the staff of the cathedral.”
Last night around 50 of the protesters marched further into the City dressed as zombie bankers to mark Hallowe’en. They danced to Michael Jackson’s Thriller, stopping traffic in front of the Bank of England.
Police moved them off the road after 10 minutes and they marched down Liverpool Street and danced in front of Royal Bank of Scotland offices on Bishopsgate for about 15 minutes.
