Judge to make Occupy London ruling

A decision is due on the bid by the City of London Corporation to evict anti-capitalist protesters from outside St Paul's Cathedral.

After a five-day High Court hearing, which finished just before Christmas, Mr Justice Lindblom will rule on whether to grant orders for possession and injunctions against Occupy London.

The City says there is an "overwhelming" case for the court's intervention because of the impact on the area of the camp, which has been in place since October 15 last year.

It was not seeking to prevent lawful and peaceful protest or lawful assembly in the general location - but the right to protest enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights did not justify a semi-permanent campsite on the public highway, particularly in a location like St Paul's Churchyard.

Protesters camped outside St Paul's Cathedral
as part of the Occupy London Stock Exchange protest

The camp had acted as a magnet for people who had caused significant disorder and a substantial increase in crime in the area, it claimed.

Lawyers for the protesters said that the case raised an issue of "extreme public importance" and that freedom of expression was a liberty which must be jealously guarded by the courts.

The camp did not prevent worship at St Paul's and any impact it did have on those visiting, walking through or working in the vicinity was not solely detrimental.

They said that politicians, members of the public and commentators had expressed support for the camp's presence and the sentiments behind it, at a time when there was a consensus that the issues it raised needed addressing.