iPhone app iPad app Android phone app Android tablet app More

Occupy London: St Paul's Cathedral Protesters Vow To Stay On

Occupy London

First Posted: 24/10/11 08:53 BST Updated: 24/10/11 08:53 BST   PA

Amazing
 Inspiring
 Funny
 Scary
 Hot
 Crazy
 Important
 Weird

Anti-capitalist protesters outside St Paul's Cathedral could remain in place for months despite pleas that the church and local businesses are suffering as a result.

The cathedral is losing thousands of pounds per day as a result of being forced to close over health and safety concerns about the protest camp on its doorstep.

A second site has been established on Finsbury Square in Islington in order to ease numbers, but activists outside St Paul's have pledged to remain there indefinitely.

Their renewed enthusiasm came as thousands of Sunday worshippers were turned away at an estimated cost of more than £20,000.

A spokesman for the cathedral said that businesses in the vicinity were also suffering because of the protest camp. He said: "There are a lot of people in that area who are also concerned about the timetable. A lot of independent traders are being affected and that whole part of London is not easily accessible."

A number of fixtures - including an All Saints' Day service on November 1 and hundreds of special charity services in the run-up to Christmas - could be threatened by the action. With no prospect of St Paul's reopening, Evensong has been moved to Southwark Cathedral.

St Paul's has been losing valuable funding since it shut its doors on Friday for the first time since the Second World War.

The Occupy London supporters have refused to comply with a public request to move on - with some digging in at the foot of St Paul's and another group of around 100 people setting up camp on Finsbury Square.

Jo, 41, who took up position at the steps of the historic monument, said she was prepared to continue her battle indefinitely. The unemployed activist, who has no fixed address and declined to give her surname, added: "I'll be sitting here until there's real evidence the underlying system that allows a few to get very rich while others starve will change."

Members of protest group UK Uncut said they would join with the Occupy London Stock Exchange supporters at St Paul's at midday before marching to the head office of Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) in Whitehall. The demonstrators plan to demand the resignation of HMRC deputy chief executive Dave Hartnett, accusing him of allowing Vodafone and Goldman Sachs to avoid making certain payments.

1  of  11
PLAY
FULLSCREEN
ZOOM
SHARE THIS SLIDE 
Placards are placed in front of St Paul's Cathedral on the third day of a protest to occupy the London Stock Exchange on October 17, 2011 in London, England. The demonstration, which is targeting corporate greed, stemmed from he 'Occupy Wall Street' movement in New York, USA and has spread to the financial districts of cities around the world. Currently approximately 250 protesters in 100 tents are camped outside St Paul's Cathedral, which is adjacent to the Stock Exchange. (Getty)
MORE SLIDESHOWS NEXT >   |   < PREV
FOLLOW HUFFPOST UK

Anti-capitalist protesters outside St Paul's Cathedral could remain in place for months despite pleas that the church and local businesses are suffering as a result. The cathedral is losing thousan...
Anti-capitalist protesters outside St Paul's Cathedral could remain in place for months despite pleas that the church and local businesses are suffering as a result. The cathedral is losing thousan...
Related News On Huffington Post:
 

Occupy London: Council Set To Evict As St Paul's Reopens Its Doors Occupy London: St Paul's 'To Reopen On Friday' As Legal Action Against Protesters Considered Occupy London Protesters At St. Paul's Cathedral Defy Calls To Quit Occupy London: Second Camp Set Up In Islington Occupy London: St Paul's Losing £16,000 A Day Due To Protest St. Paul's Cathedral Closed By Occupy London Protests St Paul's Cathedral Closes Due To 'Occupy London' Protest Occupy London: Saint Paul's Cathedral Suggests It Might Be Time For Protesters To Leave St Paul's Suggests Occupy London Protests Should Move On After Fall In Trade Occupy London: Polly Toynbee Hits Back On Sky News At 'Idle Feckless Useless People' Claim Occupy London: Police Ordered Out of St. Paul's as Protesters Allowed In Donald Trump Blasts Obama Over Occupy Wall Street, Works With Bachmann On Phone-In Town Hall Occupy London: Protesters Remain Outside St. Paul's Cathedral
Read more from Huffington Post bloggers:
B. Dolan

B. Dolan: Recognise Occupy as a Global Movement

Winter is headed for those in tents around the world, and in more ways than one. When the time comes, I believe we can win by knowing our aims, standing together, and mining the best practices of other successful movements.

Filed by Dina Rickman  | 
 
 
  • Comments
  • 4
  • Pending Comments
  • 0
  • View FAQ
Comments are closed for this entry
View All
Bloggers
Recency  | 
Popularity
lastpost
see biography
440 Fans
12:49 PM on 10/24/2011
"The cathedral is losing thousands of pounds per day as a result of being forced to"
provide sanctuary to the disenfranchised persecuted by the despotic.

"thousands of Sunday worshippers were turned away at an estimated cost of more than £20,000."
Or a few moments worth of EU contributions, in real terms.

"Evensong has been moved to Southwark Cathedral."
And any semblance of free speech, relocated to Brussels by the Backdoor.

"The Occupy London supporters have refused to comply with a public request to move on"
Humm, the classic Roman tactic of divide and conquer eh? Force the protesters to inconvenience the church, rather than the financial hub. In the hope of alienating those who might normally offer succour against the excesses of the system. Dave could solve the problem at St. Paul’s in an instant. The reason why he doesn’t, should be giving priests cause for pause and quiet contemplation.

"the underlying system"
So holymen. What is your real motivation in regard to this moral maze? HuMankind or Mammon.
Strictly speaking, that shouldn't constitute a dilemma.
Permalink  |
vectradt1
66 Fans
11:43 AM on 10/24/2011
What a strange country we live in? A peaceful protest is told by some (a Minority) that they should pack up and leave as they have made their point.........

I wonder how quickly the protest will be forgotten once they do pack up?

I think some will hope it is very quickly.......
Permalink  |
photo
HUFFPOST BLOGGER
Lawyer13
retired Lawyer, General and Psychiatric Nurse, wit
8247 Fans
 
11:15 AM on 10/24/2011
I too am one of the 99%, and I think it is high time these "protesters" pack up their tents and left, they have made their point, but by staying put they are doing their cause more harm than good.
Permalink  |
KenInd
We too shall get through this.....
1323 Fans
09:48 AM on 10/24/2011
This would be a counter-productive decision. As time goes on, the movement will lose more and more support from the general public, who will see this occupation as an attack on the Cathedral, and not on banks and the stock brokers. If I were asked, I would suggest a 'magnanimous' removal before next Sunday, thereby gaining praise for a wise decision. It is up to the movement, but they should weigh this point in their decision. They will leave one day (one way or the other) and they might as well score some good publicity from it.
Permalink  |