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EVICTION MARKS END of the BEGINNING for Occupylsx #11 | theoccupiedtimes.com | @OccupiedTimes 01MAR2012 ST PAUL’S CAMP CLEARED CARMEN VALIDO Bailiffs, assisted by police, launched the eviction via several mobile livestreams. action to clear the long-standing Occupy At around 2 a.m., and without any verbal EVICTION MARKS END OF THE London camp at St. Paul’s this week. warning, police and bailiffs tightened the Shortly before midnight on Monday, 27th kettle around the wooden structure and February, bailiffs, officers in riot gear and began to dismantle it. According to legal BEGINNING FOR OCCUPYLSX police vans began to draw together to observers that were present at the scene, enforce the eviction order sought by the the police acted with “too much haste and City of London Corporation - the archaic not enough caution”. Several protesters governing body of London’s financial were forcibly pulled to the ground and district - that had been upheld in court last stepped on by riot police for acts of week. As this enforcement was underway, peaceful resistance. By 3:20 a.m., the last the nearby ‘School of Ideas’ community remaining protesters had been dragged centre was also evicted, in violation of from the structure. When questioned ongoing court proceedings, with the about the disproportionate show of force, building later razed to the ground. representatives for the City of London Since the rejection of the appeals Corporation and the City of London Police case before the Royal Court of Justice had “no comment” for the Occupied on February 22nd, most valuable items Times. Legal observers reported that and a number of tents had already been while there were around 20 arrests for removed by protesters from the site at St. obstruction of police work, the majority Paul’s in anticipation of police action and of activists on site complied peacefully based on fears about the disregard for with the eviction order. The last of the protesters’ property. Since Friday night, occupiers chained himself to a tree; it took occupiers had held a permanent and an hour and a half to remove him. peaceful vigil on the steps of St. Paul’s Protesters who had withdrawn to the Cathedral in anticipation of the eviction. steps of St. Paul’s also found themselves Through the camp’s General Assembly confronted by police. Officers claimed it was decided to endorse individual that church officials had asked them to responses to the eviction, and legal clear the front of the cathedral under guidelines were distributed throughout Section 14 of the Public Order Act - the the camp and online to inform protesters threat of “serious public disorder, serious of the possible legal ramifications of damage to property or serious disruption various forms of resistance. to the life of the community”. While On Monday afternoon, Occupy London several police observers watched from received an anonymous phone call from the upper balcony of St. Paul’s, units someone claiming to work for the City in riot gear dragged protesters off the of London, who warned of preparations church steps. Occupiers who wanted to for an imminent eviction. Shortly after collect their personal belongings were midnight, activists alerted through phone sometimes refused access, and saw their trees and tweets began to arrive at St. bags trashed by bailiffs and city workers. Paul’s. City of London police set up a Around 3:30 a.m. the last protesters were cordon around the perimeter of St. Paul’s removed while chanting “Shame on you!” preventing anyone from entering the and “You work for us!” to police officers. area after 12:30 a.m. At the site of the No church officials were visibly camp, most occupiers had gathered on present to witness the forcible eviction the Cathedral steps - considered by many of peaceful protesters from the cathedral a safe zone, since the church’s land was steps, and Giles Fraser, the former canon not covered by the eviction order - while chancellor who resigned in protest against around 20 protesters gathered on top of church chapter’s decisions regarding the a wooden structure that had been erected camp, was prevented from entering the from pallets and kitchen shelves in front site. Fraser described the eviction as of the cathedral. Shielded by police in “a terrible sight” and “a sad day for the full riot gear, bailiffs began clearing and Church of England”. Tammy Samede, a CARMEN VALIDO breaking up tents while some protesters supporter of Occupy London and litigant- prayed, sang, danced and broadcast the in-person before the High Court, >> Editorial After four and a half months of peaceful, Occupy was never about critiquing shortly after its eviction, the government storm and helped sound the warning bell. prolonged protest, the authorities finally religious establishments, but since are metaphorically bulldozing liberaries and History will also note that the established called time on the St Paul’s occupation in the landing on the steps of St Paul’s obvious access to higher education for many. men and women of our age responded with early hours of Tuesday morning. antagonisms between faith, morals and These scenes were precipitated last dismissive scorn and references to their Riot police and bailiffs, enforcing the established religion have been exposed Wednesday when Occupy LSX somewhat deluded idea of “common sense”. will of the 1%, were confronted by peaceful which are not unconnected to Occupy’s predictably had its appeal rejected at the OccupyLSX’s case was not destined defiance from occupiers who were joined central issue of finacial inequality. Royal Courts of Justice. The case was to be successful in court but it did put in solidarity outside of the police cordon When given a choice between looking fought on a narrow plain encompassing forward a strong public defence of the right by many other occupiers and supporters. after the people and looking after their only the vagaries of land ownership and to meaningful protest. Protest is not about CONTENTS The shadowy, undemocratic City of London accounts, the chapter’s agenda became the question of whether the encampment being ‘allowed’ to walk from A to B, wave PAGES/ Corporation were aided in arranging the obvious. Giles Fraser resigned from his blocked a public highway. Let’s try to banners, then return home only to see 01 News eviction by the craven cowardice of St. role as Canon stating that he couldn’t stand ignore the risible irony of the City of London that the government is proceeding with its 02 Editorial 03 The School of Ideas Pauls’ clergymen, who, despite having by and watch violence being perpetrated Corporation positioning itself as protector illegal war or unmandated privatisation Finsbury’s Budding Community previously suggested they would provide in the name of the church. When highly of the “public good” when the spacious regardless. It is about the right to make a 04 A Battle In Greece, A War For Us All “sanctuary” in the event of a violent eviction, respected members of the clergy are walkway in question is one of the last prolonged case for genuine change. Whilst Of Acceptable Muslim Democracies decided instead to invite police to physically leaving their positions in order to escape remaining examples of publicly owned land it is to be commended that legal process & British Interests remove peaceful protesters from the steps restrictions on their own ability to act in the entire Square Mile. Given that the legal was respected in this country - unlike in 05 Egypt’s Second Wave Don’t Weigh Our Anti-Imperial Struggle of the church - just as Giles Fraser feared. morally - restrictions imposed primarily system was devised in line with political the violent clearances of Occupy camps On Syrians Alone Fraser, who was prevented by police from by financial concerns - it becomes clear and economic values that favour the one elsewhere - it remains the case that the 06 Madness: A New Approach passing through the cordon, tweeted the just how deeply the power of finance per cent, it was always likely that the parameters of debate are set by the media, 07 Occupy Mothers next morning: “Really proud of the way has penetrated every area of our society. Corporation’s claim to the land - home to politicians and institutions of the very London 2012: The Real Winners 08 Occupy After The Camps Occupy conducted themselves last night.” How can there be such a thing as ethical hundreds of people these past four months system we are here to dismantle. There are It Ain’t Over Till It’s Over A cathedral spokesperson had told capitalism when even establishments without hindering pedestrian access in the profound implications, verging on tragedy Horizons & Prospects the Evening Standard back in December, whose very business is ethics cannot slightest - would be upheld. or farce, when the people who control how 09 Occupy London Timeline “The only radical alternative would be extrapolate one from the other? If the case were fought on a moral or political discourse is conducted then appoint You Can’t Evict An Idea 10 putting [protesters] inside the cathedral. A second Occupy site, the School of ecological plain there would be no contest: themselves to judge the validity or success 11 You Can’t Evict An Idea 12 The State Is Failing The Homeless We have said all along that what we do Ides, was also evicted simultaneously, Occupy would win hands down. History, to of our protest against them. As long as the How Should We Be Tackling Homelessness? not want is for this to end in violence. If immediatley after bailiffs moved in, with be written by a world stupefied at our era’s targets of our actions are also the dictators Homelessness Statistics [during an eviction] they run inside, the the building flattened to the ground just inaction on climate change, poverty and of the form our dissidence takes, we risk 13 Life On The Streets doors are not going to be shut.
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