OccupyLSX: Chancellor of St. Paul’s Cathedral resigns over potential police eviction of Occupiers
The canon chancellor of St Paul’s Cathedral [in London] resigned because he could not face the prospect of “Dale Farm [a massive recent police eviction of peaceful squatters in a camp near London] on the steps of St Paul’s”, as police prepared to take action against the anti-capitalist protesters within days.
Giles Fraser, who announced his decision on Twitter, said he could not sanction the use of violence to rid the cathedral grounds of Occupy the London Stock Exchange campaigners.
The protest, comprising hundreds of tents, is entering its 13th day and organisers say they have no intention of leaving in the foreseeable future despite repeated requests from the cathedral, the City of London Corporation, the bishop of London, the mayor of London and the lord mayor of London…
“It is not about my sympathies or what I believe about the camp. I support the right to protest and in a perfect world we could have negotiated. But our legal advice was that this would have implied consent. The church cannot answer peaceful protest with violence.”
It was apparent that the [City of London] was clearer than the cathedral about its desire to see the protesters moved on, Fraser said.
(Source: occupywallstreet)
