• Evicted Occupy London protesters descended on new camp in east London just hours after being moved on from a seventh month occupation of a square in the capital
  • Anti-capitalist Occupy London protesters had been evicted in a 'peaceful and low-key' during 1am police swoop
  • Around ten tents were pitched this morning on new site and camp appears to be growing in size by the hour

By Tom Gardner

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It took a great phalanx of police and bailiffs finally to evict Occupy London protesters who had doggedly clung on to their squalid camp in Findbury Square, north London.

But within hours of that major dawn raid to clear one site - which had been blighted by the around 135 tents for the past seven months - authorities were again caught on the back foot as campaigners simply descended on a new location, little more than a mile away.

Around a dozen protesters - some wearing masks - had pitched tents in Shoreditch Park, east London, by lunchtime today.

Undeterred: A masked Occupy protester surveys his new camp in Shoreditch Park, east London, which was set up hours after police and bailiffs, evicted campaigners from Finsbury Square, north London

Undeterred: A masked Occupy protester surveys his new camp in Shoreditch Park, east London, which was set up hours after police and bailiffs, evicted campaigners from Finsbury Square, north London

Occupy protestors, who were last night evicted from Finsbury Square in the City of London, have now set up a new camp in Shoreditch Park

Occupy protestors, who were last night evicted from Finsbury Square in the City of London, have now set up a new camp in Shoreditch Park

Police were on the scene within minutes but appeared powerless to act.

Now residents of the trendy east London square face the prospect of a protracted fight to clear the area of the encampment, which started off with about ten tents but seems to have at least doubled in size by this afternoon.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: 'We are aware of tents pitched in Shoreditch Park.

'Officers are monitoring the situation but are not present at the scene. An appropriate policing plan is in place.'

Dozens of police officers and private security guards had taken several hours to clear anti-capitalist protesters from their north London camp after launching the swoop at 1am today.

The clear out was organised by Islington Council after a successful court action by the authority to move the group which held London's last remaining Occupy outpost.

New camp: Police were soon on the scene, but not before Occupy protesters were about to erect around a dozen tents in Shoreditch Park

New camp: Police were soon on the scene, but not before Occupy protesters were about to erect around a dozen tents in Shoreditch Park

Green but not so pleasant: Shoreditch Park has now been taken over by the Occupy London protesters who descended on the site within hours of being evicted from Finsbury Square

Green but not so pleasant: Shoreditch Park has now been taken over by the Occupy London protesters who descended on the site within hours of being evicted from Finsbury Square

The camp was set up on the public land of the square in October, as an extension of the Occupy movement’s protest in St Paul’s Churchyard - which ended in eviction in February.

Today, Metropolitan Police confirmed they were present at the scene which is being cleared by a private security company.

Two weeks ago a judge heard the protest had caused 20,000 damage to the land, cost the council 26,000 on security, and lost it 12,000 in rent plus income from the square’s restaurant which had to close.

There had been an adverse impact on local business and complaints about anti-social behaviour from the camp, which increasingly became a focus for the homeless, and which had no running water or sufficient toilet facilities.

Eviction: Overnight enforcement officers cleared the remaining Occupy protest camp in London's Finsbury Square

Eviction: Overnight enforcement officers cleared the remaining Occupy protest camp in London's Finsbury Square

Battle over: Two activists comfort each other looking past bailiffs into the campsite after Islington Council won a High Court battle over the land

Battle over: Two activists comfort each other looking past bailiffs into the campsite after Islington Council won a High Court battle over the land

Decision: Two weeks ago a judge heard the protest had caused 20,000 damage to the land, cost the council 26,000 on security, and lost it 12,000 in rent plus income from the square’s restaurant which had to close

Controlled operation: Metal fencing is brought in to seal off the Square during the eviction

Controlled operation: Metal fencing is brought in to seal off the Square during the eviction

Councillor Paul Convery, Islington Council’s executive member for community safety, said: 'Finsbury Square is public space for the people of Islington, one of Britain’s most deprived boroughs.

'We’re returning the square to community use, and it is being cleaned and will soon be reopened to the public for the summer.

'Today’s enforcement action was peaceful and low-key, and I’d like to thank the police, our street outreach team, and other partner organisations for their help.

'A number of vulnerable and homeless people have been living in the square. We have been speaking to them and offering advice and support to those who need assistance.'

Before protesters were evicted from the neighbouring camp at St. Paul's Cathedral in February, Finsbury Square was used as an overspill.

It later became an 'eco village' where sustainable technologies were showcased.

But there was no sign of that now - the once pleasant park is now a barren, litter-strewn dump.

Occupy protesters have barricaded themselves into their camp on Finsbury Square in the City of London

Occupy protesters had barricaded themselves into their camp on Finsbury Square in the City of London

20-30 'protestors' remain at the Finsbury Square camp - eight months after it was first 'occupied'

Until last night 20-30 'protestors' remained at the Finsbury Square camp - eight months after it was first 'occupied'

Residents of the square are bracing themselves for an eviction attempt on Friday and have barricaded themselves in

Islington Borough Council moved in March to start eviction proceedings against the 'residents' of Finsbury Square

Islington Borough Council moved in March to start eviction proceedings against the 'residents' of Finsbury Square.

But Tom McCarthy, a resident at Finsbury Square, insists the camp serves an important purpose.

He wrote on the Occupy Finsbury Square blog: 'This camp makes a political statement about our society.

'Since Occupy opened the camp on 21 October, it has become a home and community for many homeless people, for whom the system has failed.

'In evicting this community, Islington Council – who have helped to re-home some people that have ticked certain boxes – are potentially leaving some people in a much worse position than they are already in.

'We ask Islington Council to not go down the same route at the City of London Corporation – cleansing the City of homeless people is not the way forward. Helping to find real solutions is.'

At one time protesters used the square to showcase sustainable technology, but it is now a litter strewn dump

At one time protesters used the square to showcase sustainable technology, but it is now a litter strewn dump

Islington Council claims the camp is now just occupied by vulnerable and homeless people

Islington Council claims the camp is now just occupied by vulnerable and homeless people

Banners erected on the camp still preach anti-capitalist slogans, despite claims by councillors the square has become a haven for the homeless

Banners erected on the camp preached anti-capitalist slogans, despite claims by councillors the square has become a haven for the homeless

Islington Borough Council are keen to repossess the square so they can start fixing the damage caused by protesters

Now the square has been repossessed Islington Borough Council are keen to start fixing the damage caused by protesters


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Send in a few farmers and their tractors and a couple of JCBs and follow with a sheep-dip for the campers

The word Bulldozer springs to mind to evict them from Shoreditch. How much is this costing the tax payer to clear up the rubbish and for the policing. Everyone has a right to protest but not if they are causing a public nuisance and trespass. Still you have to assume that this rabble are all actively seeking employment or doing voluntary work of some description and not merely idling away their time.!

think you need Farmer Dan down there

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