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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
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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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) | |
| 3.03am: Police have apparently been given permission to clear the steps of St Paul's, according to Ben Quinn, who has been speaking to the London Green party's Jon Bartley. | |
| Ben has also tweeted that the "general belief among #occupyLSX is that the figures on st Paul's balcony are police forward intelligence. Not confirmed by police." | |
| It looks like there are only three or four people remaining on the wooden pallets. | |
| 2.52am: Ben Quinn spotted three figures on the balcony of St Paul's a little earlier: | |
| Three figures who have been on the balcony of st Paul's #occupylsx twitter.com/BenQuinn75/sta… | |
| — Ben Quinn (@BenQuinn75) February 28, 2012 | |
| Occupy protesters have told him these people are not known to them. | |
| 2.48am: James Ball says the outer police cordon is tightening up, "meaning police are likely to move in on the pallets soon". | |
| 2.42am: There is now a "dead zone" around the remaining protesters, who number no more than about 12. | |
| It's worth mentioning that the Occupy movement's "School of Ideas" in Islington has also been dismantled tonight. | |
| 2.34am: | |
| Some more tweets from within the last few minutes from Ben and James: | Some more tweets from within the last few minutes from Ben and James: |
| Very little remains of the pallet fortress. Police moving even closer. #occupyLSX | Very little remains of the pallet fortress. Police moving even closer. #occupyLSX |
| — James Ball (@jamesrbuk) February 28, 2012 | — James Ball (@jamesrbuk) February 28, 2012 |
| Bailiffs face to face now with last dozen or do #occupy protesters twitter.com/BenQuinn75/sta… | |
| — Ben Quinn (@BenQuinn75) February 28, 2012 | |
| 2.29am: | 2.29am: |
| PA has some more quotes from protesters, including campaigner Gary Sherborne, 50, who dismantled his tent having been warned by police that action was imminent: | PA has some more quotes from protesters, including campaigner Gary Sherborne, 50, who dismantled his tent having been warned by police that action was imminent: |
| We haven't got any choice and I'd rather protect the tent for another day without it being destroyed by the bailiffs. | We haven't got any choice and I'd rather protect the tent for another day without it being destroyed by the bailiffs. |
| "I think people are resigned to the fact they might lose their tent. It's only tents and materials the injunction applies to so I think some protesters will be back here tomorrow. | "I think people are resigned to the fact they might lose their tent. It's only tents and materials the injunction applies to so I think some protesters will be back here tomorrow. |
| "I think the police have acted honourably so far. We'll just have to see how this process pans out." | "I think the police have acted honourably so far. We'll just have to see how this process pans out." |
| PA also spoke to Vito Gomez, 31, who was standing on the 'last stand' block: | PA also spoke to Vito Gomez, 31, who was standing on the 'last stand' block: |
| We built this after we lost the appeal so that we could stay here much longer, but we know they're going to try and take it down. | We built this after we lost the appeal so that we could stay here much longer, but we know they're going to try and take it down. |
| "They've been acting like civilised gentlemen so far but we're going to see a fight later. | "They've been acting like civilised gentlemen so far but we're going to see a fight later. |
| "I won't move of my own accord so they're going to have to remove me." | "I won't move of my own accord so they're going to have to remove me." |
| 2.17am: The BBC is now reporting that one arrest has been made. | 2.17am: The BBC is now reporting that one arrest has been made. |
| Meanwhile, Ben Quinn has called in to say that the eviction appears to be entering a final phase: | Meanwhile, Ben Quinn has called in to say that the eviction appears to be entering a final phase: |
Riot police have set up a much tighter cordon around the 'last stand' area - some wooden pallets with at least 17 protesters barricaded in. | Riot police have set up a much tighter cordon around the 'last stand' area - some wooden pallets with at least 17 protesters barricaded in. |
| Legal observers are getting agitated, which they weren't earlier, and there's a bit of tension. The noise has died down and people are wondering how the last protesters will be removed." | Legal observers are getting agitated, which they weren't earlier, and there's a bit of tension. The noise has died down and people are wondering how the last protesters will be removed." |
| 2.02am: There appears to be a standoff between police and protesters on one of the structures that is still intact. Ben Quinn has this: | 2.02am: There appears to be a standoff between police and protesters on one of the structures that is still intact. Ben Quinn has this: |
| Here comes the physical part. Shouts of 'fuck the police' | Here comes the physical part. Shouts of 'fuck the police' |
| James Ball reckons an arrest may have been made: | James Ball reckons an arrest may have been made: |
| Arrest? Three police dragging a young man towards police vans. Unhappy shouts from crowd. #occupyLSX | Arrest? Three police dragging a young man towards police vans. Unhappy shouts from crowd. #occupyLSX |
| — James Ball (@jamesrbuk) February 28, 2012 | — James Ball (@jamesrbuk) February 28, 2012 |
| 1.58am: The BBC is reporting that some protesters have chained themselves to one of the remaining the structures on the site. | 1.58am: The BBC is reporting that some protesters have chained themselves to one of the remaining the structures on the site. |
| Meanwhile, here's Ben Quinn's story on the eviction, which made into the last edition of Tuesday's paper. | Meanwhile, here's Ben Quinn's story on the eviction, which made into the last edition of Tuesday's paper. |
| Decent pictures of the eviction have been hard to come by, but here's a shot from earlier as police massed near the site. | Decent pictures of the eviction have been hard to come by, but here's a shot from earlier as police massed near the site. |
| 1.45am: James Ball has called in from St Paul's, where he says bigger crowds have turned up outside the police cordon. | 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. | 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. | 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.' | 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: | 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. | 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 obviously live in areas other than the centre of London, so this would have caught them by surprise." | 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 obviously 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." | 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 of St Paul's in October. 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. |