UK court approves eviction of Occupy protesters

AFP - The High Court in London on Wednesday approved a bid by city authorities to evict anti-capitalist protesters from outside St Paul's Cathedral in the financial district.

Members of the Occupy London movement moved on to the pavement in front of the famed church on October 15 and set up dozens of tents, prompting the City of London Corporation local authority to take legal action.

Judge Keith Lindblom on Wednesday granted orders for possession and injunctions against Occupy London, following a five-day hearing in December.

The corporation had argued that there was an "overwhelming" case for the eviction because of the impact on the area of the camp and the risk that it would continue indefinitely.

Occupy London had challenged an initial eviction order issued by the corporation in November.

It was not immediately clear whether the protesters would be able to appeal against the decision.

At its height up to 200 demonstrators were based at the makeshift camp, which sprang up in solidarity with the Occupy Wall Street action in New York.

US police evicted protesters from Zuccotti Park in Manhattan's Financial District two months ago.