St. Paul’s Closes

Occupy LSX shuts down St. Paul's

Although the photograph shows Paternoster Square on an average business day, St. Paul’s Cathedral in London has been forced to close down due to the Occupy London Stock Exchange protesters whom have been camping out in this square adjacent to the cathedral.

Currently, there are more than 300 tents pitched outside the cathedral and Dean of St Paul’s, Rev Graeme Knowles, said “We have a legal obligation to keep visitors safe and health,” and that the decision to close the doors was made “with a heavy heart.”

The protesters issued a statement that said “they were disappointed the Cathedral had closed.” They indicated that “Since the beginning of the occupation six days ago, OccupyLSX has tried hard to accommodate the Cathedral’s concerns in any way we can.”

Although the protesters have indicated that they have made every effort to re-organize in response to “feedback from the Fire Brigade an [...] have also accepeted the presence of two large barriers to preserve access to the side door of the Cathedral,” the fact remains that following Friday’s afternoon mass, the church has closed its doors.

LSX occupiers stated that their presence “will continue” as they continue to “draw attention to the crisis of economic and political legitimacy experienced in the UK.”

Bookmaker William Hill is “offering odds of 100/1 that the building will still be closed to the public on Christmas Day.”

Read more at Huffington Post.