Dean of St Paul's cathedral resigns over London protest camp

Oct 31, 2011, 15:41 GMT

London - The crisis over a protest camp that has sprung up outside St Paul's Cathedral in London deepened Monday when the cathedral dean announced his resignation.

The resignation of Dean Graeme Knowles came after the City of London Corporation, which is responsible for law and order in the City of London, gave the protestors 48 hours to clear their tents from the cathedral square.

'In order to give the opportunity for a fresh approach to the complex and vital questions facing St Paul's, I have thought it best to stand down as dean, to allow new leadership to be exercised,' Knowles, a former bishop, said.

The protestors set up camp at St Paul's during worldwide demonstrations two weeks ago to support the Occupy Wall Street movement in New York.

After initially being invited in by the church, the protestors vowed to stay put despite several appeals for them to move on.

Knowles even closed the cathedral, one of London's most famous landmarks, for a week on health and safety grounds. It was reopened to visitors Friday.

Last week, the chancellor of the cathedral, Giles Fraser, resigned because he said he could not support any possible use of force around the church.

The City of London Corporation launched legal action at the end of last week with the aim of evicting the protestors - but the legal process could take months.

After further heated exchanges between top clergy and the Occupy London protestors at the weekend, Knowles said he would resign because his position had become 'untenable.'

'The past fortnight has been a testing time for the chapter and for me personally. It has become increasingly clear to me that, as criticism of the cathedral has mounted in the press, media and in public opinion, my position as dean of St Paul's was becoming untenable,' he said.

'I do this with great sadness, but I now believe that I am no longer the right person to lead the chapter of this great cathedral,' said the dean about his decision.

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