Court backs London protest eviction
Source: Agencies |
February 23, 2012, Thursday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
OCCUPY London protesters braced for eviction yesterday after a court ruled that local authorities can remove their four-month-old camp from outside St Paul's Cathedral.
Officials said they would now enforce an order allowing them to take down the dozens of tents - though it did not say when the eviction would start.
"I would call on protesters to comply with the decision of the courts and remove their tents and equipment right away," said Stuart Fraser, policy chairman of the City of London Corporation.
Last month, a High Court judge backed local authorities trying to remove the protest, but lawyers for demonstrators sought to challenge the decision.
Three appeal court judges said yesterday that the protesters had raised no compelling new legal arguments.
"We accept that there is a right to assemble and protest on the highway, but it is by no means an unfettered right," said David Neuberger, one of the judges.
Protesters against capitalist excess, inspired by New York's Occupy Wall Street movement, have been camped outside the 300-year-old church since October.
The City of London Corporation argued that the right to protest does not justify a semi-permanent campsite. During a five-day court hearing last month, lawyers for the city claimed the camp was harming nearby businesses, causing waste and hygiene problems and attracting crime and disorder.
Occupy's lawyer, John Cooper, said protesters would likely seek to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights.
He said that even if the camp is removed "the Occupy message has been heard and will continue to be heard."
The protesters set up camp outside the cathedral after they were prevented from camping in front of the nearby London Stock Exchange.
Officials said they would now enforce an order allowing them to take down the dozens of tents - though it did not say when the eviction would start.
"I would call on protesters to comply with the decision of the courts and remove their tents and equipment right away," said Stuart Fraser, policy chairman of the City of London Corporation.
Last month, a High Court judge backed local authorities trying to remove the protest, but lawyers for demonstrators sought to challenge the decision.
Three appeal court judges said yesterday that the protesters had raised no compelling new legal arguments.
"We accept that there is a right to assemble and protest on the highway, but it is by no means an unfettered right," said David Neuberger, one of the judges.
Protesters against capitalist excess, inspired by New York's Occupy Wall Street movement, have been camped outside the 300-year-old church since October.
The City of London Corporation argued that the right to protest does not justify a semi-permanent campsite. During a five-day court hearing last month, lawyers for the city claimed the camp was harming nearby businesses, causing waste and hygiene problems and attracting crime and disorder.
Occupy's lawyer, John Cooper, said protesters would likely seek to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights.
He said that even if the camp is removed "the Occupy message has been heard and will continue to be heard."
The protesters set up camp outside the cathedral after they were prevented from camping in front of the nearby London Stock Exchange.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
