Protesters intend to camp outside St Paul’s ‘at Christmas and beyond’

PROTESTERS in London have warned they are in it for the long haul and are prepared to spend Christmas staked out at St Paul’s Cathedral.

The cathedral was closed to thousands of Sunday worshippers yesterday because of the Occupy London campaign outside the historic building.

It is losing about £16,000 per day as a result of the decision to close its doors amid health and safety concerns.

The protesters said the closure of St Paul’s was an unfortunate decision and unnecessary.

“As far as we are aware, we abided by the fire inspection and environmental and health inspection,” a 41-year-old protester named Jo said.

She added that she and many others were prepared to continue the stance as long as it took to effect real change. She said: “I’ll be sitting here until there’s real evidence the underlying system that allows a few to get very rich while others starve will change.”

The decision to shut the cathedral came after health and safety and fire officers said the protest camp compromised fire exits.

The Rev Canon Dr Giles Fraser, Chancellor of St Paul’s, defended the move to turn away visitors and dismissed rumours the monument had been shut for commercial reasons. “I remain firmly supportive of the right of people peacefully to protest.

“But given the advice we have received that the camp is making the cathedral and its occupants unsafe, then this right has to be balanced against other rights and responsibilities too,” he said.