St Paul’s chancellor resigns in row over ‘Occupy London’ protest

The chancellor of St Paul’s announced Thursday that he has resigned from his post after expressing support for the Occupy London protest against the global financial system encamped in the cathedral’s grounds.

‘It is with great regret and sadness that I have handed in my notice at St Paul’s Cathedral,’ Canon Giles Fraser said on Twitter.
The chancellor canon, who is part of the cathedral’s governing chapter, originally said the protesters could stay as long as they liked, but since last weekend, the Dean of St Paul’s, the Right Reverend Graeme Knowles, has been seeking for the camp to move on.
BBC confirmed that differences over the handling of the protest are thought to have prompted his resignation.
“He has refused to sanction the use of force to remove the protesters as pressure mounts on the cathedral to join in legal action against them, considering it a resigning matter,” the BBC said.
“Canon had become one of the most radical figures on the Church of England’s progressive wing, developing a reputation for tackling difficult issues head-on.”
The resignation comes as the cathedral is expected to announce it will reopen to the public after claiming it has been losing £20,000 a day since the camp was set up 12 days ago.
On Friday, the City of London Corporation’s planning committee is due to hear legal advice and decide whether to take court action against the demonstrators.
Both the mayor of London and the Bishop of London have joined calls for the protest camp to move on.