The following photo depicts an eviction notice presented to Occupy London protesters on November 16, 2011. A PDF copy of the notice is not available at this time, though the complete text of the notice has been provided by the official Occupy London website.
Photo of the eviction notice via Dan Kitwood/Getty Images.
City of London
NOTICE TO REMOVE ALL TENTS AND OTHER STRUCTURES FROM THE PROTEST CAMP AT ST PAULS CHURCHYARD, LONDON EC4
To each and every person taking part in and/or having erected tents of other structures at St Pauls Churchyard, London EC4
Under its various legal rights and powers, the Mayor, Commonality and Citizens of the City of London (“the City of London Corporation”) requires you to remove all tents and other structures from the protest camp at St Pauls Churchyard, London EC4 (in the area shown in red and green on the attached plan) forthwith.
If any tents and other structures remain after 6pm on Thursday 17th November 2011, proceedings for possession and injunctions will be issued in the high Court of Justice without further notice.
Any attempt to establish another protest camp consisting of tents and other structures elsewhere in the City of London Corporation’s area will be likely to be the subject of immediate further proceedings without further notice.
Explanation
1. This explanation is provided in plain English to explain the basis of the City of London Corporation’s demand that tents and other structures be removed and the broad process which will follow if they are not removed.
2. The Protest Camp occupies the land shown edged in red and green on the Plan attached to this Notice. The area shown in red is public highway vested in the City of London Corporation (“the Red Land”). The area shown in green is owned by St Paul’s Cathedral (“the Green Land”). The boundary between the Red Land and the Green Land runs just outside the semi-circle of bollards at the front of St. Paul’s Cathedral.
3. Through the erection of tents and other structures, you and others involved in the Protest Camp have taken possession and control of the Red Land from the City of London Corporation without its consent. The Protest Camp is therefore a trespass. It is also an unreasonable obstruction of the highway on the Red Land.
4. In addition, in respect of both the Red Land and the Green Land, the Protest Camp does not have planning permission and causes significant harm to the area.
5. The City of London Corporation has given the most careful consideration to the right to protest and whether there is a pressing social need in the public interest to require the removal of the tents and other structures. It has concluded that there is such a pressing social need.
6. If the tends and other structures are not removed by 9am on Friday 18th November 2011, the City of London corporation will therefore issue proceedings in the High Court of Justice:
a. Seeking a possession order over the Red Land which, if granted, will mean that you have to give possession of that area back to the City of London Corporation;
b. An injunction requiring you to remove the tents and other structures from the Red and Green Land. If granted this would mean that you would be ordered by the High Court to remove the tents and other structures and any failure to do so could be a contempt of court;
c. Declarations and injunctions from the Court which will enable the City of London Corporation to move onto the Protest Camp and clear it.
7. The detailed legal basis of these claims will be explained in legal documents provided with the proceedings but the powers relied on will included s.130 and s.137 of the Highways Act 1980, s.1878 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, s.222 of the Local Government Act 1972 and s.2 of the Local Government Act 2000.
8. Proceedings will be served on the Protest Camp and you will be able to attend Court on a date to be fixed but likely to be next week to: (1) ask to become a named defendant; and (2) take part in the proceedings. The Court will then decide what, if any, orders to make.
9. For the avoidance of doubt, the Orders sought will not prevent lawful and peaceful protest in this general area and is directed at the tents and other structures.
10. For the avoidance of doubt, the City of London Corporation reserves all its rights to take any other such action as may be considered necessary and this Notice does not affect any powers of the police under the Public Order Act 1986 or other laws.
11. Further Notices under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 may be served in due course. They will be additional to, and will not remove or amend, the requirements of this Notice.
Director of the Built Environment
City of London Corporation
Guildhall
London EC2P 2EJ
TO PERSONS HAVING CONTROL OF POSSESSION OF TENTS AND OTHER STRUCTURES AT ST PAULS CHURCHYARD
The City of London Corporation is the highway authority for the City of London. The highways in the vicinity of St Pauls are shown on the attached plan.
You are hereby given notice that the erection and setting up of tents and other structures at the protest camp at St Paul’s Churchyard constitutes an unlawful obstruction of the highway. There is no lawful authority or excuse for such obstruction. By wilfully placing tents and/or other structures on the highway you are committing an offence under s.137 of the Highways Act 1980.
Without prejudice to all other remedies available to the City of London Corporation, the City of London Corporation hereby gives you notice under s.142 of the Highways Act 1980 that you must remove all tents and other structures which are in your possession or control from St Paul’s Churchyard by 6 pm on Thursday November 2011.
Director of the Built Environment
City of London Corporation
Guildhall
London EC2P 2EJ
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