Bailiffs stage early morning eviction of Occupy Bristol - but find only one man left
BRISTOL City Council has reclaimed College Green for the people of Bristol.
The local authority went into the Occupy Bristol camp with bailiffs at about 4.30am today to evict any remaining protestors, but were met only by a homeless man asleep in one of the two remaining structures on the site.
As a mobile floodlight illuminated the area, the final remnants of a four-month fixture were erased this morning.
Once the site had been checked for occupiers, employees from the council and waste disposers May Gurney, dressed in high-visibility jackets, started dismantling a wooden dome, followed by the “caretaker’s” building erected in front of the Council House.
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Now College Green – owned by the cathedral but maintained by the council – is being reinstated as an amenity for the people of Bristol.
The Dean of Bristol, the Very Reverend David Hoyle, and the local authority expressed gratitude for the protestors’ efforts in the clear up over the last few weeks and thanked those who moved off the site after a County Court ruling last month.
The Very Rev Hoyle said: “We, and the city council, have listened to the Occupy Movement throughout the months they have been on College Green.
“However, despite many reassurances that the occupiers will leave College Green, some failed to do so.
“Sadly, despite giving them every opportunity to move on, we were left with no other alternative other than to use legal proceedings to reclaim the land for the use of all Bristolians.
“This protest, as with those around the UK and abroad, has laid down a real challenge for us and for others to reflect on issues of privilege, greed and justice.
“Many of the global economic, sustainability and social justice issues espoused by some in the camp have always been of equal concern to the church.
“The cathedral community will continue to respond to that challenge.”
Leader of the Council, Barbara Janke (Lib Dem), said: “It is absolutely right that College Green is returned back to its primary use as a space for all to enjoy and use.
“Together with the Dean, we have said from the very first day that while we respected the group’s right to protest, the occupation of College Green was unlawful.
“The protest has raised some important issues and we have listened and responded to those. However the concerns around their continued presence in such a well loved space justify today's action to remove the last few protesters who decided not to leave voluntarily.”
For the full story of the eviction, see tomorrow’s Bristol Evening Post.
Comments
by Bristoldjsuk
Wednesday, February 01 2012, 10:48AM
“People who donated have been hideously duped (if there were any at all). The money may have been used to set a few things up at the start but ended up just funding drunks and addicts to survive on the green. Anyone remember that massive amazon list? Wonder what happened to any items bought off it?! Though by that stage I think people had realised that it had detoriated from a genuine protest to what it was to become...”
by sploge1948
Wednesday, February 01 2012, 10:27AM
“so what about the cost the prat mr garry hopkins said it will be time to get rid of this prat”
by Pogo_T_Clown
Wednesday, February 01 2012, 10:25AM
“Easy to fix. If they camp in a public place, then other groups can, too. Next time they shack up, get some neo-Nazis to move in with them. Problem solved.”
by jumin
Wednesday, February 01 2012, 10:13AM
“Well meaning people who donated to the occupiers have wasted their money, no financial audit trail, no accountability, no answers - so who get's the remaining cash?”
by James__Wood
Wednesday, February 01 2012, 8:33AM
“One good thing that could come from the occupy movement - new legislation to remove squatters within 24 hours I guess it would fly through Parliament right now.
By all means protest – placards outside buildings, superglue the door locks of 'bad' banks or even superglue yourself to the doors of banks etc.
But 'Occupy people' stop taking money from hard working taxpayers, because each time you tie up courts and councils in Bristol and across the rest of the UK that is what you are doing.”
by CurtisHewitt
Wednesday, February 01 2012, 7:55AM
“@SlotBoy "Long live Occupy. Phase 2 camping on a spot near you."
So Phase 2 is just going to be a repeat of Phase 1, but with even less public support?
Very progressive.”
by bomberman
Wednesday, February 01 2012, 2:37AM
“"Perhaps it would now be a good opportunity to extend the moat around college Green and in future pull up the drawbridge next time the area looks like it is going to be under siege.
The cost of this awful mess is now going to have to be bourne by all Bristol taxpayers !!"”
by bomberman
Wednesday, February 01 2012, 2:36AM
“"Perhaps it would now be a good opportunity to extend the moat around college Green and in future pull up the drawbridge next time the area looks like it is going to be under siege.
The cost of this awful mess is now going to have to be bourne by all Bristol taxpayers !!"”
by SlotBoy
Tuesday, January 31 2012, 11:34PM
“It's a sad day for Bristol...what will the public have to moan about now that they cannot get lathered up over a patch of grass? Oh hang on - You are being perpetually screwed by the system -
perhaps that will do. Long live Occupy. Phase 2 camping on a spot near you.”
by Bristolexpat
Tuesday, January 31 2012, 5:33PM
“Hooray! Does this mean that the BEP have to now close its "Occupy" desk?
Or can the ten journalists employed on it drag this story out for the next fifteen years.......”