Story highlights
Last month, the High Court ruled in favor of the group that wanted to evict
The Occupy London group then filed an appeal
The three judges of the court refused them the permission to appeal
Occupy London protesters who have been camped outside the landmark St. Paul’s Cathedral for the past four months lost their court bid to avoid eviction Wednesday in a decision made by London’s Court of Appeal.
Last month, the High Court ruled in favor of the City of London Corporation, the body that runs London’s financial district, which applied for an eviction order after the protesters failed to abide by a previous order to pack up the camp.
The Occupy London group then filed an appeal against the ruling at the Court of Appeal.
Wednesday, the three judges of the court refused them the permission to appeal.
Michael Paget, the lawyer representing the Occupy London group, said the group doesn’t intend to file another legal challenge.
“The occupy message has been heard and will continue to be heard. It has made a difference and will continue to make a difference.”
The activists, who set up camp outside the cathedral October 15, had been protesting against corporate greed and economic inequality.
Many of the tents set up by the Occupy activists around St. Paul’s are on what the corporation designates as a public road. St. Paul’s suspended its own legal action against the activists in November, after a number of senior cathedral figures resigned over the threat to evict them.
“Peaceful protest is a democratic right but the camp is clearly in breach of highway and planning law,” said Stuart Fraser, policy chairman for the City of London Corporation.” I would call on protesters to comply with the decision of the courts and remove their tents and equipment voluntarily right away.”