Dusk falls over the cathedral. At the start of the Occupy demonstration, voices were raised in anger as protesters clashed with police. Nearly two weeks later, voices are raised in song as the police look on.
Members of St Paul’s congregation, locked out of their church, have organised Evensong Choral, an Anglican liturgy, which they take on the outskirts of the tented encampment.
Some protesters join in. Some watch. The mood is tranquil.
Stood at the back of the group is Peter Ould, a non-stipendiary Anglican priest attached to a church in Canterbury.
“This is fantastic,” he says. “This is the power of social medial.”
He explains that a lady called Kathryn Rose, who tweets under the name of @artsyhonker, suggested holding mass outside the cathedral. A handful of people agreed the new congregation was born.
“We held our first one earlier in the week, and again tonight. It seems to be going really well,” Ould says.
“If it goes well there’s a plan to see if we can do it every night.”
“I came here a week ago and nearly broke my leg falling over a guy rope. It was all higgledy-piggledy. If there was a time to highlight a health and safety issue it was then. Looking around today, it’s ordered - there are first aid tents and a kitchen. There is a structure."
I enquire as to rumours that the protesters will be forcibly removed from the area.
“Then only thing that’s going to get rid of them now is eviction. But it is very complicated as the ground in front of the cathedral is owned by several different groups.”
“We saw in Oakland that the camp was removed forcibly and rather nastily. No one wants that.”
“If the eviction came, it would have to come from St Paul’s. If that did happen it would say some interesting things about the cathedral and the Church of England.”