By Danielle Lobito
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Giles Fraser photo: Jane Mingay/PA
The Reverend Canon Dr Giles Fraser, Chancellor of St Paul's Cathedral resigned last Thursday because he disagreed with ‘the senior clergy’ of the church, on the decision to take legal action against 'camp protesters' in the churchyard of St Paul’s Cathedral, London.
Dr Fraser is against legal eviction which he ‘compared’ to the court battle and recent ‘violent’ evacuation of travellers from Dale Farm. Unexpectedly, Mr Fraser Dyer, a part-time chaplain at St Paul's has also resigned.
The campers aka Occupy London movement are anti-capitalist protesters. They have been camping and demonstrating outside the cathedral since October 15; after the police ‘stopped’ them from occupying the London Stock Exchange.
A notice was put up stating that the square is private property and access would be restricted. Police sources said a High Court injunction had been taken out to prevent members of the public from accessing the square.
—The Huffington Post
Tourists (or visitors) visiting St Paul’s Cathedral, which was founded in AD 604, are charged entrance fees but worship is free of charge. The cathedral was losing '£20,000 ($32,000, 23,000 euros)' daily on tourism revenue due to the demonstrations. According to the 2010 annual report of St Paul’s Cathedral, the 'gross incoming resources' were £15.08 million in 2010 and £13.80 million in 2009. 'The gross income from commercial activities, which included admission charges, the crypt shop and event income, increased by £0.66 million to £8.25 million'.
Prime Minister David Cameron was "very concerned" and said that 'protesters do not have right to pitch tents anywhere they like'. The cathedral was reopened yesterday after a week closure but campers are still there. It was initially closed for health and safety reasons after the campers took over the churchyard with tents and turned it into a campsite. The Mayor of London Boris Johnson intervened and asked the campers to go away but the protesters may not be ready to vacate the premises of St Paul’s Cathedral until next year.
St Paul's and the City of London Corporation have sought two High Court injunctions in a hope that the 200 tents which have been outside the London landmark for two weeks will be forcibly moved.
—Metro
Occupy London Stock Exchange (OLSX) is part of a ‘global revolution’ against 'economic inequality' and the excesses of the banking system aka 'corporate greed'. The OLSX movement started almost a month after the beginning of the Occupy Wall Street protest in New York City. On the first day of the London protest, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange reportedly wore a mask, 'which' the police 'told' him to remove.
St Paul's protest: Canon Chancellor Giles Fraser quits
Canon Giles Fraser loses St Paul’s £20k a day
Occupy London protesters set up second camp at Finsbury Square
Canon Fraser in Ghana
In 2009, Dr Giles Fraser was the vicar of Putney, London. He was also ‘installed’ as an honorary canon ‘of a cathedral in the diocese of Sefwi-Wiawso in Ghana’. Fraser was later appointed the Canon Chancellor of St Paul’s Cathedral. He also became the director of St Paul’s Institute. Fraser is married and has children. He became controversial on his stance on gay clergy when he supported gay Bishop Rev Gene Robinson of New Hampshire.
Pro-gay vicar of Putney made an African canon
Here's to you, Mr Robinson
‘But I have a lot of gay friends’ (Rev Dr Giles Fraser)
Stolen Church Money…
Scuba divers on an archaeological survey off the Isles of Scilly have recovered cash believed to have been stolen from a church collection box.
—BBC
