Occupy London protesters camped outside St Paul's have been told that they must leave the site after the Court of Appeal ruled in favour of the City of London Corporation's eviction proceeding.
The Court of Appeal judgment granted the Corporation orders for possession and injunctions against Occupy London preventing them from pitching their tents in the Cathedral grounds. The possibility of taking the protesters' case to the European Court of Human Rights will now be considered, although this does not bar the Corporation from clearing the site.
Garden Court barrister Michael Paget, who has represented the protesters since legal proceedings began, emphasised that the ruling had taken into account the rights and freedoms of others in the St Paul's area, and was not a reflection on the validity of the protesters' cause. Speaking outside the Royal Courts of Justice, he commented "Throughout this process, the seriousness of Occupy's message has never been questioned. It was recognised by the trial judge and by the Court of Appeal, especially when they took the trouble to read the Occupy Times newspaper. The Occupy message has raised issues of extreme public importance."
He added "The Occupy message has been heard and will continue to be heard. It has made a difference and will continue to make a difference."
Michael then rushed back to Chambers to deliver a talk to housing lawyers on the subject of possession.
To watch Michael's speech, see the BBC News website. Further background to the case can be found in The Independent.
To read the full judgment, click here.
Michael Paget is a member of the Garden Court Chambers Housing and Property Law Teams.
