St Paul’s Cathedral last night appealed for the growing numbers of anti-capitalist protesters camped on its piazza to leave because of a sharp fall in visitors.
The Dean and Chapter said they were “appealing to the protesters’ better nature” in “encouraging” them to move on due to the “risk to the life of the Cathedral”.
The appeal marks a significant change in the tenor of the cathedral authorities’ attitude to the protest.
The cathedral had previously been supportive of it.
Last Sunday, the Reverend Dr Giles Fraser, Canon Chancellor of St Paul’s, said: “People have a right to protest and it’s been very good natured.”
He even asked that the police, stationed there to protect the building, leave “because I didn’t feel that it needed that sort of protection”.
The number of protesters at St Paul’s has been increasing on a daily basis, to the extent that visitors and congregations have found it hard to access the site.
It is free to visit the cathedral but visitors are encouraged to give donations to help cover costs. Takings from visitors have halved since the protest began on Saturday.
Estimates yesterday put the number of tents at 180 as cathedral staff were forced to close the restaurant.
The gift shop is also understood to have suffered a very sharp drop in passing trade.
Categories: UK