Christian anti-capitalists rebut untrue claims about protest at St Paul’s

The following news release was issued this morning (15 October 2012):

Christian anti-capitalists rebut untrue claims about protest at St Paul’s

A network of Christians who co-organised an act of witness around St Paul’s Cathedralin London yesterday (14 October) have expressed their dismay with a misleading statement from the cathedral authorities, along with untrue accusations made on the internet and in parts of the media

The Dean said that Christianity Uncut should have engaged “constructively”. However, members of Christianity Uncut had sought a constructive meeting with the cathedral’s clergy in March. This was after they had been dragged by police from cathedral steps as they prayed during the eviction of the Occupy camp. The cathedral authorities refused to meet with them.

There were also suggestions that those involved had “stormed” into the cathedral, that they had interrupted a wreath-laying and that they had stopped people praying. These claims are all contradicted by the evidence. Christianity Uncut co-organised yesterday’s actions with Occupy London, as a nonviolent and dignified act of witness.

Four women, dressed in white, peacefully chained themselves to the cathedral pulpit and calmly read out a statement encouraging church authorities to follow Jesus’ example of siding with the poor. Meanwhile, others held a banner on the cathedral steps depicting Jesus’ protest in the Jerusalem Temple, with the caption “Throw the moneychangers out of the Temple”. Several worshippers and tourists spontaneously expressed their support.

Many of those involved in both acts were Christians. The four women by the pulpit included two Anglicans.

Siobhan Grimes, an Anglican who was one of the four women by the pulpit, said:

“At least five Christians, including me, were dragged away from St Paul’s while we were kneeling in prayer on the steps during the eviction of Occupy in February. We wrote a polite letter to the cathedral authorities requesting to meet in a spirit of respect to discuss the incident. The Canon Pastor replied, refusing to meet us. We have long been wanting a constructive meeting. It’s only now that we have taken this action that we have been offered one.”

Symon Hill, who was among those displaying the banner outside, and who was also removed from the steps during the eviction in February, said:

“We did not take this action lightly. Christianity Uncut is committed to active nonviolence, love for opponents and a rejection of verbal abuse. We do not believe any of our actions undermined those commitments. We have received many supportive messages from both Christians and non-Christians. We have also received a few critical messages, but some of these seem to be based on inaccurate reports of the event.

“The cathedral have pointed out that this action followed a service in which an occupier had been invited to read a prayer. Sadly, thetokenistic nature of this service shows just how far St Paul’s Cathedral has to go to live up to its own rhetoric about economic justice. They can still take the opportunity to speak out clearly against the government’s cuts agenda and the sins of usury.”

ENDS

 

Notes

1. Christianity Uncut is an informal network of Christians campaigning against the government’s cuts agenda and the injustices of capitalism. We are inspired by the example of Jesus, who took nonviolent direct action in the Jerusalem Temple, in solidarity with people who are poor, exploited and marginalised.
2. Christianity Uncut is committed to active nonviolence in all its work, rejecting both violence and passivity. Christianity Uncut is committed to campaigning alongside people of other religions and of none and to love and respect for its opponents. Christianity Uncut rejects verbal abuse and personal hatred.
3. The act of witness began at around 4.00pm yesterday (14 October). It was organised jointly by Christianity Uncut and Occupy London.
4. On 28 February 2012, five members of Christianity Uncut were dragged by police from the cathedral steps as Occupy London Stock Exchange was evicted. Please see http://christianityuncut.wordpress.com/2012/02/28/christians-dragged-from-their-knees-on-cathedral-steps/.
5. On 15 March 2012, the Canon Pastor of St Paul’s Cathedral, Michael Colclough, refused a request by Christians who had been removed from the steps to meet with him or other senior cathedral clergy. They had asked to meet in “a spirit of love and respect”. Their letter requesting a meeting had been countersigned by twenty clergy. Please see http://christianityuncut.wordpress.com/2012/03/23/st-pauls-cathedral-refuses-meeting-with-christians-evicted-from-steps/.
6. On 19 April 2012, the City of London Police Commissioner, Adrian Leppard, stated in writing, “I can confirm permission was given by St Paul’s to clear the steps on 28th February 2012″. Please see http://christianityuncut.wordpress.com/2012/05/25/police-letter-reveals-st-pauls-misled-public-over-occupy-eviction/.
7. Photographs of both parts of yesterday’s act of witness are available to media on request.

Statement read by Christianity Uncut and Occupy London women activists: St Paul’s Cathedral, 14 October 2012

We do not wish to distress you Only to appeal to you.

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

We stand here as Occupiers, as women, Queers, disabled, grandmas, young, old, as women of all faiths and none in solidarity with all other groups who are marginalised by economic injustice.

Even when times are good women, along with our children, are usually those who suffer the most. In times of economic crisis our inequality is amplified but we refuse to be victims.

We will not be silent.

One year ago tomorrow, Occupy arrived on your doorstep and pitched our tents in the tradition of St Paul.

We offered you an opportunity to live out our shared truth: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they will be filled.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall be shown mercy.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God.

In the fight for economic justice Jesus threw the money changers out of the temple, but you invited them in

And instead evicted us.

Your collusion with the City of London Corporation led to our violent eviction on your doorstep.

You testified against us which acted to uphold injustice and inequality that is growing by the day.

St Paul’s Cathedral  you must stand up and be counted at this great trial of history.

But you have denied us twice already.

Once when you closed your doors on us and watched on as praying Christians were dragged from the steps of St Paul’s and twice when you failed to act when we were gone.

Today we offer you a third chance. The resurrected Jesus spoke first to a woman.

He said, go to my brothers and tell them the truth. We come to you and we say, The truth is an urgent call for radical action in the Way of Christ.

There is no time left to procrastinate

This is what democracy looks like

Come and join us.

Christian anti-capitalists take direct action after St Paul’s sides with City

A group of Christians have this afternoon entered St Paul’s Cathedral and hung a banner down the front of the building. They are calling on the Church as a whole to resist government cuts and follow Jesus’ example of siding with the poor.

Their action follows the refusal of cathedral authorities to meet with Christians who were dragged from the steps of St Paul’s in February as they knelt in prayer during the eviction of the Occupy camp. Tomorrow (15 October) marks the first anniversary of Occupy London Stock Exchange.

The group, Christianity Uncut, have nonviolently unfurled a banner declaring ‘Throw the Money Changers out of the Temple’. It depicts Jesus’ protest against usurers and religious hypocrites in the Jerusalem Temple.

The action by Christianity Uncut coincides with action by women members of Occupy, who have read out a statement in St Paul’s about the cathedral leadership’s decision to support the City of London against the Occupy movement. This action is jointly backed by Christianity Uncut and Occupy the London Stock Exchange.

Christianity Uncut member Symon Hill, who was also removed from the steps in February and is now in the cathedral, said:

“Two thousands years ago, Jesus Christ threw the usurers out of the Temple. He protested against people who exploited the poor, and religious leaders who let them get away with it. Many Christians are speaking out against the government’s slash-and-burn policies on public services and the welfare state. Sadly, some other church leaders have shown more solidarity with banks and corporations than they have with the poorest people in society.”

Christianity Uncut member Siobhan Grimes, who was removed from the steps in February and is now in the cathedral, said:

“We have not taken the decision to engage in this action lightly. In February, we were dragged by police from the steps of St Paul’s as we prayed. We sought respectful dialogue with the cathedral authorities, but they refused to meet with us. We have therefore sought other ways to make our views known. This is not about attacking the Church. It is a demonstration by Christians, calling on other Christians to take a stand against cuts and inequality.”

ENDS

 

Notes

1. Christianity Uncut is an informal network of Christians campaigning against the government’s cuts agenda and the injustices of capitalism. We are inspired by the example of Jesus, who took nonviolent direct action in the Jerusalem Temple, in solidarity with people who are poor, exploited and marginalised.
2. Christianity Uncut is committed to active nonviolence in all its work, rejecting both violence and passivity. Christianity Uncut is committed to campaigning alongside people of other religions and of none and to love and respect for its opponents.
3. Members of Christianity Uncut unfurled the banner shortly after 4.00pm this afternoon, a day ahead of the first anniversary of the beginning of Occupy London Stock Exchange. A group of women supporters of Occupy are also taking nonviolent action in the cathedral itself. This action is jointly backed by Christianity Uncut and Occupy the London Stock Exchange.
4. On 28 February 2012, five members of Christianity Uncut were dragged by police from the cathedral steps as Occupy London Stock Exchange was evicted. Please see http://christianityuncut.wordpress.com/2012/02/28/christians-dragged-from-their-knees-on-cathedral-steps/
5. On 15 March 2012, the Canon Pastor of St Paul’s Cathedral, Michael Colclough, refused a request by Christians who had been removed from the steps to meet with him or other senior cathedral clergy. They had asked to meet in “a spirit of love and respect”. Their letter requesting a meeting had been countersigned by twenty clergy. Please see  http://christianityuncut.wordpress.com/2012/03/23/st-pauls-cathedral-refuses-meeting-with-christians-evicted-from-steps/
6. On 19 April 2012, the City of London Police Commissioner, Adrian Leppard, stated in writing, “I can confirm permission was given by St Paul’s to clear the steps on 28th February 2012″. Please see http://christianityuncut.wordpress.com/2012/05/25/police-letter-reveals-st-pauls-misled-public-over-occupy-eviction/.
7. Photographs of the banner display are available to media on request.

Christians urged to reject Tories and side with the poor

The following news release has been issued this evening (Sunday 7 October):

Christians urged to reject Tories and side with the poor

Worshippers at the official church service for Conservative Party conference have been urged to reject Tory policies and follow Jesus’ example of siding with the poor. Members of Christianity Uncut, a network of anti-capitalist Christians, handed out leaflets and food as an act of witness outside the service in Birmingham Christian Centre this evening (Sunday 7 October).

Many of the worshippers were delegates to the Conservative conference, including Education Secretary Michael Gove.

Christianity Uncut gave out leaflets declaring, ‘Jesus sided with the poor. Tories side with the super-rich.’ They offered delegates and other attenders pieces of bread to symbolise a sharing of the world’s resources. They prayed for all those involved.

Their placards declared ‘Christians for social justice’, ‘Meet needs, not accounting goals’ and ‘Disability Living Allowance: 0.5% fraud, 20% cuts’.

Most worshippers took the leaflets and some engaged in conversation although a few responded rudely to polite greetings.

Errol Thompson was one of several Birmingham Christians who joined the act of witness. He said:

“The key for me is about economic reform. I’m coming at it from a Christian perspective. Take Matthew 20,1-16 – the parable of the labourers in the vineyard. It’s about meeting need rather than accounting for work done.

“The whole banking system is designed to take money from the poor to the rich. If you actually do the sums, there is no way, through charging interest, that the system can ever balance.”

ENDS

Notes

1. Christianity Uncut is an informal network of Christians campaigning against the UK government’s cuts agenda and the injustices of capitalism. We are inspired by Jesus, who took nonviolent direct action in the Jerusalem Temple in solidarity with people who are poor, exploited and marginalised.
2. Photographs of the act of witness are available to media on request.
3. The Conservative Party Conference church service was held at Birmingham Christian Centre at 6.30pm on Sunday 7 October. It was organised by the Conservative Christian Fellowship with the support of certain Birmingham churches.
4. Christianity Uncut was founded in 2011. During the eviction of Occupy London Stock Exchange, five members of the group were dragged by police from the steps of St Paul’s Cathedral as they knelt in prayer. It has recently been revealed that they were misled by the cathedral authorities about the cathedral’s role in the eviction. Please see http://christianityuncut.wordpress.com/2012/05/25/police-letter-reveals-st-pauls-misled-public-over-occupy-eviction.

Tories preach ‘good news to the rich’ in Birmingham

Christian Tories are planning to hold a church service in Birmingham this evening (7 October), as the Conservative Party conference begins in the city.

As Christians, we rejoice to see people worship God, but the greatest worship is in the way we live our lives. Members of Christianity Uncut will be outside the Tory church service to witness to the teachings of Jesus, who sided with the poor. In contrast, the Conservative Party has always sided with the very rich.

Outside the service at Birmingham Christian Centre, we will peacefully hand out leaflets to Tory delegates and other worshippers. We will offer them pieces of bread to symbolise the sharing of the world’s resources – an idea proclaimed in many parts of the Bible, which is contrary to capitalism. We will pray for all those involved, asking that they and we will move closer to God’s truth. We will also pray for the defeat of the government’s cuts agenda and the coming of God’s Kingdom.

We rejoice that people of many faiths and of none are protesting against the Tories’ vicious cuts and militarism in Birmingham this week. May God bless and guide us all.

If you would like to join future Christianity Uncut demonstrations and acts of witness, please email us at christiansagainstcuts@gmail.com.

Atos bring ‘bad news to the poor’

The following news release was issued this morning (30.08.12).

Atos bring ‘bad news to the poor’ say Christian campaigners

A Christian network has backed nonviolent direct action against Atos, asponsor of the Paralympics with a record of throwing thousands ofdisabled people off benefits. Supporters of Christianity Uncut arejoining protests against Atos this week, including one at the company’s offices in London tomorrow (Friday 31 August).

Atos is accused of wrongly declaring people to be fit for work to meetgovernment goals of slashing the welfare bill.

The company has £3.1bn of government contracts. Over 40% of appealsagainst Atos decisions are upheld, suggesting the company is either incompetent or deliberately conducting biased assessments. However, legal aid for most appeals will be scrapped from April. At least 43 doctors and nurses working for Atos have been reported toprofessional regulators for misconduct. There are countless stories of people being forced to miss meals or turn off heating after having benefits cut.

Christianity Uncut pointed out that Jesus said he had come to “bring good newsto the poor”. They urged churches to take sides with the poorest members of society who are losing out most from cuts while the veryrich remain largely unaffected. They backed the groups DisabledPeople Against Cuts (DPAC) and UK Uncut, who are organisingtomorrow’s action in London, named the “Closing Atos Ceremony”.

Sian, a disabled Catholic who was assessed by Atos, said:

“I have a cross over my bed and was asked by the Atos doctor if I go to church. She said she was asking this because I should have freedom ofreligion and be able to go to church. She lied. She wrote ‘claims cannot leave house even to church’. She was checking to see if I was’really’ disabled. I had my Disability Living Allowance stopped.”

Symon Hill, a Christian writer and associate director of the Ekklesia thinktank, said he would be at the protest at the Atos offices in London tomorrow. He explained:

“Jesus said he had come to bring good news to the poor. Atos bring bad news to the poor. David Cameron is welcoming the Paralympics while snatching away the livelihood of thousands of disabled people. Ministers could save billions by cracking down on corporate tax-dodging and ditching Trident, instead of  attacking the poorest members of society. Many Christians recognise that there can be no neutrality in the face of injustice. Now is the time to act on that conviction.”

ENDS

Notes

1. Christianity Uncut is an informal network of Christians campaigning against the UK government’s cuts agenda and the injustices of capitalism. We are inspired by Jesus, who took nonviolent direct action in the Jerusalem Temple in solidarity with people who are poor, exploited and marginalised.
2. The London protest, named the ‘Closing Atos Ceremony’, will take place at 12.45pm on Friday 31 August at Atos HQ, Triton Square, London NW1 3HG. It has been    organised by Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) and UK Uncut. For more information, please see http://www.ukuncut.org.uk/actions/904.  There are a range of other protests taking place against Atos elsewhere in the UK. Please see http://www.ukuncut.org.uk/actions.
3. The level of complaints to professional regulators about doctors and nurses working for Atos was reported by the Independent newspaper yesterday (29 August). Please see    http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/olympics/paralympics/paralympic-sponsor-engulfed-by-disability-tests-row-8084799.html?origin=internalSearch.
4. Christianity Uncut was founded in 2011. During the eviction of Occupy London Stock Exchange, five members of the group were dragged by police from the steps of St Paul’s Cathedral as they knelt in prayer. It has recently been revealed that they were misled by the cathedral authorities about the cathedral’s role in the eviction. Please see http://christianityuncut.wordpress.com/2012/05/25/police-letter-reveals-st-pauls-misled-public-over-occupy-eviction.

Christians join protests against Atos

Members of Christianity Uncut are joining protests this week against Atos, a company who are doing the government’s dirty work by throwing thousands of disabled people off benefits.

Atos have £3.1bn of contracts with the UK government and are responsible for assessing disabled people’s ability to work and entitlement to benefits. Thousands have seen their benefits scrapped or cut after Atos declared them to be fit for work. But over 40% of appeals against Atos ruling are upheld, suggesting that the company is either incompetent or operating with the goal of getting as many people off benefits as possible. This fits with the government’s goal of reducing the welfare bill (despite cutting taxes for the rich and spending billions on nuclear arms). It takes no account of the realities of illness or impairment, or of the barriers faced by disabled people who want to work but are prevented by inaccessible workplaces and employers’ prejudices.

There are protests going on across the UK this week, not least because Atos are a sponsor of the paralympics. The biggest protest is expected to be in London on Friday (31 August). Organised by UK Uncut and Disabled People Against Cuts, it will take place at Atos’ national offices. There is more information here, and you can also sign up for the event (and invite your friends) on Facebook. Several supporters of Chrsitianity Uncut will be there, while others are joining protests elsewhere, campaigning online, praying for those involved and/or raising the issue in their churches.

Jesus said that he had come to bring good news to the poor. Christianity Uncut believes that Jesus’ followers are called to take sides when the poorest members of society are under attack, while seeking to wage nonviolent struggles with love for enemies as well as allies.

To hear more about Atos and the criticisms of it, you can read this story in today’s Independent.

Calling for real jubilee

Many, many thanks to all the people who have supported and encouraged us during the jubilee demonstrations of the last few days.

Thanks to members of Republic, of several religions and of none, who were very welcoming of our presence at the protests. And thanks for all the supportive Tweets and other messages. Thanks also to the people who disagree with us, but who took the time to engage us in conversation, sharing their views and listening to what we had to say.

Members of Christianity Uncut were present at all three of the main London demonstrations over the last few days – at the river pageant, at the service at St Paul’s Cathedral and at the procession along Whitehall. Most of the time, they were peaceful and even cheerful events, as we celebrated values of equality, justice and community. However, a few monarchists outside St Paul’s pushed and shoved some of us and threatened us with further violence. Thankfully, other monarchists respected our right to freedom of expression.

Several people have asked why an organisation set up to oppose the cuts should be getting involved in anti-monarchy campaigns. It’s partly because many of us believe that the subversive Kingdom of God, based on love, is incompatible with earthly monarchies based on wealth, inequality and militarism. But it’s also because we regard this as a fundamentally economic issue. The biblical meaning of “jubilee” as it appears in the Book of Leviticus (Chapter 25) concerns a festival of economic justice.

Leviticus states that every fiftieth year, debts should be cancelled, slaves set free, and land returned to those who have sold it due to poverty. Jubilee was about rebalancing society and preventing gross inequalities. As Church of England priest Gareth Hughes said last week, “our society is crying out for this kind of jubilee”.

For more on the real meaning of jubilee, you can listen to this piece on the BBC World Service about Christianity Uncut’s protests this week. If you click on the link, it’s about twenty minutes into the programme.

In addition, Simon Barrow of Ekklesia has written about the real meaning of jubilee in this piece for the Guardian.Ekklesia also has a new research paper, by Bernadette Meaden, entitled Alternative Perspectives on the Jubilee.

Thanks again! Shalom!

Christians to reject monarchy and celebrate justice at republican protests

The following news release was issued today (01.06.12):

Christians to reject monarchy and celebrate justice at republican protests

A group of Christians will join republican protests this weekend to call for a ‘real jubilee’ that celebrates justice, peace and the equality of all people as created in the image of God. They believe that this reflects the original, biblical meaning of jubilee rather than a celebration devoted to monarchy and military might.

The group will be part of a major anti-monarchy demonstration on Sunday (3 June), which will include people of many religions and of none.

Christianity Uncut, whose supporters include clergy, theologians and writers, pointed out that ‘jubilee’ is a biblical idea that was originally about a time of justice, when slaves were freed, debts cancelled and equal relationships restored. At a time of cuts and huge gaps between rich and poor, they suggest that this is the jubilee our society really needs.

Rev Gareth Hughes, Church of England chaplain at Hertford College, Oxford, said:

“The concept of ‘jubilee’ is an ancient Near Eastern practice of restitution, including the forgiveness of debts. In the Bible (Leviticus 25), it is demanded of God’s people as a rebalancing of society. Whereas our society is crying out for this kind of jubilee, what we are given is an expensive personality cult. The focus is on an earthly monarch rather than on the King and Kingdom of Heaven.”

Symon Hill, Christian writer and associate director of the Ekklesia thinktank, said:

“This weekend, we are invited to celebrate obscene wealth and privilege as many people suffer from vicious cuts to public services and rising unemployment. Instead, let’s have a better sort of party. Let’s celebrate love, justice and the hope of a different sort of society. Early Christians were persecuted for refusing to say ‘Caesar is Lord’. Christ is my Lord, my King, my Queen. I cannot bow to another.”

ENDS

Notes

1.     Christianity Uncut is an informal network of Christians campaigning against the UK government’s cuts and the injustices of capitalism. We are inspired by Jesus, who took nonviolent direct action in the Jerusalem Temple in solidarity with people who are poor, exploited and marginalised. Please see http://www.christianityuncut.wordpress.com.

2.     The main republican demonstration will be from 12.00 noon until 5.00pm on Sunday 3 June, near Tower Bridge. It is organised by the group Republic, which includes people of many religions and of none. Members of Christianity Uncut will be present. Please see http://www.republic.org.uk/updates/?page_id=297.

3.     Christianity Uncut was founded in 2011. During the eviction of Occupy London Stock Exchange, five members of the group were dragged by police from the steps of St Paul’s Cathedral as they knelt in prayer. It has recently been revealed that they were misled by the cathedral authorities about the cathedral’s role in the eviction. Please see http://christianityuncut.wordpress.com/2012/05/25/police-letter-reveals-st-pauls-misled-public-over-occupy-eviction.

4.     The Christian thinktank Ekklesia has recently published a research paper exploring alternative perspectives on the jubilee. Please see http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/16697.

Police letter reveals St Paul’s misled public over Occupy eviction

The following news release has been issued this morning (Friday 25 May 2012):

The City of London Police Commissioner has revealed that St Paul’sCathedral gave the police permission to forcibly remove Occupy protesters from the cathedral steps. This contradicts claims made bythe cathedral authorities.

The news comes as the new Dean of St Paul’s, David Ison, prepares to be formally installed in his post in a ceremony at the cathedral today (Friday).

The cathedral have denied that they gave the police permission to remove Christians who were dragged from the steps as they knelt in prayer during the eviction of the Occupy camp. The court’s eviction order applied only to land belonging to the City of London Corporation.

Adrian Leppard,the City of London Police Commissioner, has now stated in a letter to London Assembly member Jenny Jones: “Permission was given by St Paul’s to clear the steps”. He added: “Any persons remaining on the steps were not there with the permission of St Paul’s and indoing so they became trespassers”.

The Commissioner’sletter contradicts the claims of the Canon Pastor of St Paul’s Cathedral, Michael Colclough. After two weeks during which thecathedral authorities avoided questions on the issue, MichaelColclough claimed on 15 March that “the Corporation [of London]asked the police to clear the area [i.e. the steps]”.

Michael Colclough has refused to meet with five Christians who were dragged from the cathedral steps as they prayed.

Sam Walton, a Quaker dragged from the steps as he prayed, said:

“St Paul’s Cathedral have acted in a fundamentally dishonest and unchristian manner. They have misled the public in saying it was the Corporation of London who had asked for the area to be cleared ofprotesters. I call on the new Dean, David Ison, to launch a thorough investigation into the cathedral’s role in the eviction.”

Siobhan Grimes, an Anglican dragged from the steps as she prayed, said:

“The Trustees of St Paul’s Cathedral repeatedly made statements welcoming Occupy and speaking of social and economic justice.  But when push came to shove, they seem to have been more influenced by the wishes of the City of London than inspired to uphold a faith built through communities of radical friendship and social equality. This is a great sadness to the many Christians who uphold the valuesof the Occupy movement as an expression of their faith.”

ENDS

Notes

1.  Christianity Uncut is an informal network of Christians campaigning against the UKgovernment’s cuts and the injustices of capitalism. We are inspiredby Jesus, who took nonviolent direct action in the Jerusalem Templein solidarity with people who are poor, exploited and marginalised.

2.  The full text of Adrian Leppard’s letter to Jenny Jones, dated 19 April 2012, is as follows:

“Thank you for your letter dated 26th March. I can confirm that permission was given by St Paul’s to clear the steps on 28th February 2012. As part of the post clearance cleansing operation and in agreement with the Corporation of London, the steps to the Cathedral would be steam cleaned along with the rest of the area occupied by the camp. To enable the work to be carried out, the steps had to be clear of people and any persons remaining on the steps were not there with the permission of St Paul’s and in doing so they became trespassers.

“The cleaning process was a lawful activity and those who remained on the steps were causing an obstruction and were directed to leave under Section 69 Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994. I should add that throughout the Occupy protest period the City of London Police worked a clear strategy that wherever possible facilitated lawful protest and ongoing use of St Paul’s Cathedral.”

3. On 13 March, the Canon Pastor, Michael Colclough, received a letter from five Christians who were removed by police from the cathedral steps as they prayed during the eviction (George Barda, Jonathan Bartley, Siobhan Grimes, Symon Hill and Sam Walton). They requested a meeting with him. The letter was counter-signed by twenty supporting clergy. The Canon Pastor replied on 15 March, turning down the request for a meeting. Responding to questions about the cathedral’s role in the eviction, he stated:

“Followingan approach from the Corporation of the City of London, we gaveconsent to clean the area around the cathedral, including the steps,after any removal of the protest camp. In order to do this, theCorporation asked the police to clear the area temporarily of peopleso that this could be carried out.”

The full text of the letter can be found here.

4.  Photographs are available of the forced removal of theChristians during the eviction from the steps on 28 February.Photographs are also available of the five signatories standing onthe steps on 13 March with their letter to the CanonPastor.

5.  More details on the forced eviction are available here.