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St Paul's protest: Canon Chancellor Giles Fraser quits St Paul's protest: Canon Chancellor Giles Fraser quits
(about 1 hour later)
  
The canon chancellor of St Paul's Cathedral has resigned from his post. The Church of England should do nothing which could "lead to violence" against anti-capitalism protesters, the canon chancellor of St Paul's Cathedral has said after resigning from his post.
Dr Giles Fraser has been sympathetic to the protest camp, set up outside by anti-capitalist activists, which led to the building's week-long closure on health and safety grounds. Dr Giles Fraser quit " href="http://twitter.com/#!/giles_fraser" >with great regret and sadness", having been sympathetic to activists camping in the churchyard.
"It is with great regret and sadness that I have handed in my notice at St Paul's Cathedral," he said on href="http://twitter.com/#!/giles_fraser" >Twitter. He told the BBC he hoped a solution between the two sides would be negotiated, rather than enforced.
Visitors are to be readmitted from Friday lunchtime and a special service will be held to mark the reopening. The cathedral will reopen on Friday lunchtime after a week-long closure.
The cathedral's dome and galleries will stay shut "for the time being", however, said a spokeswoman. It shut on health and safety grounds because of the large number of tents outside.
A special service will be held to mark the reopening at 12:30 BST but its dome and galleries will stay shut "for the time being", a spokeswoman said.
'Not a simple issue'
Differences over the handling of the protest are thought to have prompted Dr Fraser's decision, the BBC's religious affairs correspondent Robert Pigott said.Differences over the handling of the protest are thought to have prompted Dr Fraser's decision, the BBC's religious affairs correspondent Robert Pigott said.
The Dean of St Paul's, the Right Reverend Graeme Knowles, said he was "sorry to see him go". Demonstrators, who are protesting against alleged corporate greed and inequality, have vowed to remain for several weeks.
'Unique contribution' The City of London Corporation's planning committee is due to hear legal advice on Friday and decide whether to take court action against the demonstrators.
Occupy London Stock Exchange (OLSX) said it had reorganised the camp to allow the cathedral's reopening, but said the issue of legal action was "a minefield" in terms of land ownership and the human rights.
Dr Fraser, who was a former vicar of Putney, had taken up the cathedral post, a Crown appointment, in 2009.Dr Fraser, who was a former vicar of Putney, had taken up the cathedral post, a Crown appointment, in 2009.
Following the resignation, Mr Knowles said: "Giles has brought a unique contribution to the life and ministry of St Paul's. "This is not a simple issue and I don't think anybody is trying to claim moral high ground on this at all," he said.
"My colleagues who've acted differently to me are quite right in saying that they want to reopen the cathedral; they want the cathedral to get on with its life.
"And, if I can argue their side as well, the truth of the matter is there are all sorts of people who are being adversely affected by the camp and I would like the camp to move on too, because I think it does have an effect on small traders and ordinary people in the area.
"But what I'm not prepared to do is sanction the use of force in order to do that."
'Unique contribution'
After Dr Fraser's resignation, the Dean of St Paul's, the Right Reverend Graeme Knowles, said he was "sorry to see him go".
"Giles has brought a unique contribution to the life and ministry of St Paul's," he said.
"He has developed the work of the St Paul's Institute and has raised the profile of our work in the City."He has developed the work of the St Paul's Institute and has raised the profile of our work in the City.
"We are obviously disappointed that he is not able to continue to his work with Chapter during these challenging days."We are obviously disappointed that he is not able to continue to his work with Chapter during these challenging days.
"We will miss his humour and humanity and wish Giles and his family every good wish into the future.""We will miss his humour and humanity and wish Giles and his family every good wish into the future."
Ronan McNern, from Occupy London Stock Exchange (OLSX), said Dr Giles was a "man of principles" and the protesters were "very grateful for the respect and support" he had shown them by defending their right to protest. Ronan McNern from OLSX said Dr Giles was a "man of principles" and activists were "very grateful for the respect and support" he had shown them by defending their right to protest.
"The fact that he has resigned shows a clear split within the cathedral.""The fact that he has resigned shows a clear split within the cathedral."
Another spokesman for the group said if Dr Fraser wanted to join the camp they would provide him with a tent.Another spokesman for the group said if Dr Fraser wanted to join the camp they would provide him with a tent.
The protesters said they were still open for dialogue.The protesters said they were still open for dialogue.
'Common sense prevails''Common sense prevails'
When the camp was first set up, Dr Fraser said he was happy for the demonstrators to stay and asked police to scale back their presence.When the camp was first set up, Dr Fraser said he was happy for the demonstrators to stay and asked police to scale back their presence.
He has refused to sanction the use of force to remove them as pressure mounts on the cathedral to join in legal action against protesters, our correspondent said.He has refused to sanction the use of force to remove them as pressure mounts on the cathedral to join in legal action against protesters, our correspondent said.
The Bishop of London, the Rt Revd Richard Chartres, who had also called on the protesters to go, said Dr Fraser was an "important voice in the Church" and should continue to be heard.The Bishop of London, the Rt Revd Richard Chartres, who had also called on the protesters to go, said Dr Fraser was an "important voice in the Church" and should continue to be heard.
Regarding the cathedral's reopening, he told the href="http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-24003004-common-sense-wins-with-reopening.do" >London Evening Standard that "common sense looks set to prevail". "I regret his resignation because his is a very important voice, and while obviously it's a matter between him, the dean, and the rest of the chapter, I've got a certain pastoral responsibility for Giles.
"It is easy to be cynical about health and safety, but it would be naive of the Dean and Chapter, in charge of a tourist attraction visited by thousands each week, to ignore the attached public liability responsibilities," he said. "I think his is a voice which really ought to be heard," Dr Chartres said.
"It would be a tragedy if it was silenced."
The cathedral claimed to be losing £20,000 a day since its closure.The cathedral claimed to be losing £20,000 a day since its closure.
Demonstrators, who are protesting against alleged corporate greed and inequality, have vowed to remain at the site for several weeks.
The City of London Corporation's planning committee is due to hear legal advice on Friday and decide whether to take court action against the demonstrators.
The OLSX said it had been reorganising the camp to facilitate the cathedral's reopening, but added the issue of legal action was "a minefield" in terms of land ownership and the rights of protesters.