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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/feb/28/police-evict-st-pauls-occupy-protesters
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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Police move in to evict St Paul's Occupy protesters – live | Police move in to evict St Paul's Occupy protesters – live |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| 1.45am: James Ball has called in from St Paul's, where he says bigger crowds have turned up outside the police cordon. | |
| It's still very peaceful with various chants going on, and someone's brought a drum. | |
| The mood is still very much one of token defiance and weary resignation. Officers I've spoken to say there have been no arrests, while the officers with helmets and shields have retreated to their vans. | |
| A relatively vociferous group of 30 or so people have started a call and response chant going [known as the 'human mic'], which goes something like: 'Everything OK. It's sad, the people have been betrayed, but they will rise. We will be reborn.' | |
| 1.27am: Ben Quinn has been speaking to Catherine Brogan, a poet and one of the more high-profile members of the Occupy movement. She said it made sense for the authorities to come on a Monday night: | |
| This has always been a peaceful process, and it has never looked like turning into anything other than that. | |
| There was talk of prayer rings and of other people coming down to support us when this happened, but many of our supporters are elderly or obviousy live in areas other than the centre of London, so this would have caught them by surprise." | |
| Again emphasising the peaceful reaction of activists, she added: "There's definitely no Molotov cocktails stashed, it is very timid. I just hope the police respect that, and don't react in the way I've seen them reacting at other times, at other protests." | |
| 1.18am: James Ball has this from the scene: | 1.18am: James Ball has this from the scene: |
| Few people humming the "evil empire" tune. Helmeted police still c30yds from steps. #occupyLSX | Few people humming the "evil empire" tune. Helmeted police still c30yds from steps. #occupyLSX |
| — James Ball (@jamesrbuk) February 28, 2012 | — James Ball (@jamesrbuk) February 28, 2012 |
| 1.08am: The situation has just escalated, says James Ball, who is standing near the police cordon: | 1.08am: The situation has just escalated, says James Ball, who is standing near the police cordon: |
| About 25-30 policemen in riot uniforms have appeared, moving in a tight huddle towards one of the raised platforms – where a red smoke flare or something similar has been released – and the steps of the cathedral." | About 25-30 policemen in riot uniforms have appeared, moving in a tight huddle towards one of the raised platforms – where a red smoke flare or something similar has been released – and the steps of the cathedral." |
| 1.03am: The City of London Corporation has issued a press release on the subject of the eviction in why they say: | 1.03am: The City of London Corporation has issued a press release on the subject of the eviction in why they say: |
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. | 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. | 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. |
| 12.56am: I've just spoken with Giles Fraser, who resigned as canon chancellor of St Paul's in October 2011. He is standing outside the cathedral and said the protesters had no idea that eviction was imminent, describing the development as a "real shame": | |
| There's a very considerable police presence, with officers in a variety of different uniforms and bailiffs, who are dismantling the big tents as we speak. | There's a very considerable police presence, with officers in a variety of different uniforms and bailiffs, who are dismantling the big tents as we speak. |
| I can't see any violence or anything nasty, but the police presence is overwhelming." | I can't see any violence or anything nasty, but the police presence is overwhelming." |
| 12.49am: Ben Quinn has tweeted a picture of a "last stand" enclosure being assembled "using palettes and debris". | 12.49am: Ben Quinn has tweeted a picture of a "last stand" enclosure being assembled "using palettes and debris". |
| 12.46am: There is a live stream of the eviction on the Bambuser website, which you can see here. | 12.46am: There is a live stream of the eviction on the Bambuser website, which you can see here. |
| 12.44am: James Ball has spoken to an Occupy protester at the scene who told him that while some protesters have been quietly deflating inflatable mattresses and taking down tents, some have dragged their tents to outside the police cordon, gathered on the steps on the cathedral, and started to put up banners from raised platforms. | 12.44am: James Ball has spoken to an Occupy protester at the scene who told him that while some protesters have been quietly deflating inflatable mattresses and taking down tents, some have dragged their tents to outside the police cordon, gathered on the steps on the cathedral, and started to put up banners from raised platforms. |
| The protester described the scene as "tense but calm", and the resistance as so far "mostly symbolic". | The protester described the scene as "tense but calm", and the resistance as so far "mostly symbolic". |
| 12.28am: Good evening and welcome to our live coverage of the Occupy London protest camp eviction. | 12.28am: Good evening and welcome to our live coverage of the Occupy London protest camp eviction. |
| Police have moved in to remove protesters from their site at St Paul's Cathedral after the Occupy London group was last week refused permission to appeal against a high court decision to allow their eviction. | Police have moved in to remove protesters from their site at St Paul's Cathedral after the Occupy London group was last week refused permission to appeal against a high court decision to allow their eviction. |
| Ben Quinn is at the scene for us, and James Ball will be there soon. | Ben Quinn is at the scene for us, and James Ball will be there soon. |