Occupation London

We haven’t heard from Occupation London for a while

Diehards battle on as St Paul's camp packs up

Protesters at St Paul's Cathedral have begun packing up their tents and leaving after they lost a legal battle to stay.

London Evening Standard,

23 February, 2012

About 10 Occupy supporters departed overnight and others said they would go voluntarily today instead of waiting to be evicted by bailiffs.

The group's kitchen tent has gone and members of the four-month-old camp said it was now an "empty shell".

However, a die-hard contingent said they would stay and make a peaceful "last stand" against City of London Corporation attempts to clear the site.

Senior High Court judges yesterday denied camp members leave to appeal against a decision to remove their tents for blocking the public highway.

One UK Anonymous protester from Wiltshire said he intended to remove his possessions from his tent but would stay at the site until the bailiffs come. He added: "We will resist without performing any arrestable offence."

Several activists were this morning packing up equipment and preparing to leave for destinations including the Occupy camp at Finsbury Square and an eco-lodge in Epping Forest.

A camp member calling himself Rainbow Warrior, 60, from Enfield, said: "The homeless are staying as they have nowhere to go but I have £1,000 of stuff and I don't want it to be damaged."

A "general assembly" held last night for camp members to discuss the next move agreed to challenge the corporation's order to remove them in the European Court of Human Rights. But with the long backlog of cases at the Strasbourg court, it could be months or even years before the case is heard - meaning the camp will already have been cleared.

Occupier Matt Varnham, who gives the group legal advice, said: "There is no stay of execution. We know for sure the camp will not be here in a few days.

"I'm advising that if tents and belongings are left behind they are likely to be destroyed by bailiffs. With that in mind, people are packing their things."

Mr Varnham said he expected "peaceful resistance" to the eviction, saying: "People will certainly put themselves on the steps of the cathedral. A lot are adamant they're going to stay and are preparing for a last stand."

Occupy members insisted the movement will go on and announced plans to camp in all 32 London boroughs.