Occupy Glasgow: Council Moves To Shut Camp

8:49am UK, Tuesday November 01, 2011

James Matthews, Scotland correspondent
Council officials in Glasgow will go to court today in a bid to evict anti-capitalist protesters from the city centre.

The council wants them removed from George Square before ceremonies to mark Armistice Day on the 11th November, Remembrance Sunday on the 13th and the switch-on if the city's Christmas lights a week later.

If an eviction order is granted at a court hearing, Sheriff's Officers will be sent in to clear the square of the "Occupy Glasgow" protesters, unless they agree to leave as instructed.

The Glasgow protest mirrors demonstrations outside St Paul's Cathedral in London, St Andrew's Square in Edinburgh and others around the world.

Tents have been pitched outside the council chambers in George Square since October 15th.

The council-owned square is one of Glasgow's most distinctive landmarks. Recently, it played host to Hollywood star Brad Pitt when it was used as the backdrop for the filming of his forthcoming zombie thriller, entitled World War Z.

The city council says it has offered three alternative sites to protesters but all have been turned down.

A Glasgow City Council spokesperson told Sky News: "While we still hope that an amicable solution can be found we feel that, due to forthcoming major events in George Square and the onsite preparations needed to make them happen, we have no other option than to take this course of action."

Numbers at the Glasgow camp have fallen since it began. Organisers claim they have been as high as 500.

One of the protesters said they will wait for the outcome of the court hearing before discussing their response to the latest developments.

The man, named "Grant", told Sky News: "We will wait and see what the court decides.

"Because we are a consensus-led democracy, our next move needs to go past the 'general assembly' of individuals involved. We'll see where the consensus takes us, based on the court's judgement.

"The camp is a means of gathering together as an open forum to discuss the problems we face in wider society and to explore how we get into a situation where it becomes progressive rather than destructive."

Police were called to the camp last week after a serious sexual assault. Strathclyde Police still want to trace two men after a woman protester was raped inside a tent.