Occupy Nottingham protesters standing their ground in Old Market Square
PROTESTERS who are camping in Nottingham's Old Market Square look set to remain at the site, despite the deadline passing for them to leave.
The Occupy Nottingham camp, which was set up in October last year, was handed an eviction notice by Nottingham City Council last week.
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The Occupy Nottingham protesters were served with an eviction notice by Nottingham City Council last week.
The notice told them they had to leave by 4pm yesterday or face legal action, but the group is refusing to move.
In a statement, the Occupy Nottingham movement said: "There is no valid need nor reason at all for the council to evict Occupy Nottingham.
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"A deal had been mutually agreed upon provisionally by representatives of both parties and actions were being taken to set that in motion and to show good faith.
"The deal would be a staged withdrawal of the camp from the square, by first compacting the camp and replacing the barriers, then moving to an alternative camp location within the city, leaving a public discussion and info stand in residence on the square."
However, the city council maintain the camp could not remain in the Old Market Square indefinitely.
A spokesman for the council said legal proceedings against the camp will now begin, but could not confirm when papers will be filed with the court.
The spokesman added: "At the beginning of February, we asked them to scale down the size of the camp in preparation for their departure. Despite assurances, no action was taken and in recent weeks our attempts to continue engaging with them were being stonewalled.
"The fact that we have now felt obliged to serve notice on them should therefore come as no surprise. We feel we have been very tolerant of their presence.
"We have had complaints from businesses and residents. We have a responsibility to all citizens, businesses and visitors to the city and have a statutory responsibility to keep the public highway clean, safe and clear."
Comments
by starving
Wednesday, March 07 2012, 9:31AM
“groon12 . . .
Trampy and discusting!
Are you local?
Protests are not always planned in Harrods over a latte or even Debenhams over an Americano and buttered scone! Sorry scon!”
by mattgaltress
Tuesday, March 06 2012, 8:41PM
“The issues this group are raising are important, but it is probably time they moved on now.”
by groon12
Tuesday, March 06 2012, 5:30PM
“get rid of them all together they are setting bad examples to kids, also it making nottingham look trampy and discusting, the city council needs to do something just like everywhere else has!”
by Reddog1865
Tuesday, March 06 2012, 2:44PM
“skippy69 - I repeat - the square is a public area and you have no right to indefinitely squat in it. Now clear off, there's a good chap :-)”
by kpi99
Tuesday, March 06 2012, 2:13PM
“Reddog
Lapses into the "multiple" user name paranoia because he has nothing else to add. Then for good measure throws in a few insults.
Jog on soft lad.”
by Reddog1865
Tuesday, March 06 2012, 1:59PM
“kpi99 is either Smith1980 / Madbager incognito or was made in the same factory using the same ingredients.
The square is a public area and you have no right to indefinitely squat in it.
Why don't you latch onto some other irrelevant leftwing cause, there are plenty of them out there to choose from, and shuffle off accordingly? Oh and make sure you take your McDonalds wrappers, Starbucks coffee cups, mobile phones and revolting dishevelled tents with you!”
by starving
Tuesday, March 06 2012, 1:58PM
“Got you thinking sython 1 . . .
That's a good start. Keep it up.
"Perpetually Nervous" . . . Think about it! An adult would understand.”
by kpi99
Tuesday, March 06 2012, 1:16PM
“Sython
Name calling? That is your domain - just check out your own posts. Nasty, vile little things that they are. Of course you can do big letters too.”
by EggyEggCup
Tuesday, March 06 2012, 12:50PM
“kpi99 - havent the 99% got a rights too?. In my wide cirle of aquaitences i.e. family, work mates, members of two different interest groups and the people down at my local, not one single one of of them has voiced any support for these protesters. These ordinary people - every single one of them put the issue of the disgraceful mess in the square far, far higher than any meaningless and impotent protest against capitalist excess. Many of these people are benefit claimants and died in the wool socialists so don't imagine they are right wing reactionaries. The contempt felt for the protestors has closed the political divide - they all want their square back. It is not the council's square, it is not the protestor's square, it belongs to the citizens of nottingham and without doubt the vast, vast majority want the protestors gone.”
by Commentking
Tuesday, March 06 2012, 12:28PM
“The right to protest is a Qualified right, it isn't an Absolute right. The Key word here is PROTEST. There are many laws in and around protesting, marching, leafleting, assemblies etc. Unfortunately or fortunately the occupy movement kind of sits in no mans land. It is an assembly of sorts (2 people meeting can qualify as an assembly, so occupy Nottingham just scrapes it).
I would have thought that local government bylaws were more apt or maybe even the environmental act 1984. (fly tipping, squalid camps) whatever good feeling, debate, reaction caused when they started has long long gone...
Starving could you please stop repeating puerile slogans and actually have an adult debate. Just what do you mean by the "perpetually nervous" .... ?
I don't splutter anyway, I grumble.”