UK police arrest six occupy protesters

Six protesters have been arrested in east London after Police and bailiffs evicted a camp supported by Occupy London movement opposing the construction of an Olympic facility on a green space.

Dozens of local people, backed by the anti-capitalist members of Occupy London Stock Exchange formerly camped outside St Paul’s Cathedral, spent two weeks camping on Leyton Marsh in a bid to block the building of a basketball training center.

Police and bailiffs arrived at the site as the High Court gave a possession order to Lee Valley Regional Authority, and removed the protesters tents, with police arresting 6 protesters who were trying to block a lorry entering the site.

Scotland Yard said that the people were arrested on suspicion of breaching section 14 of the Public Order Act 1986.

Caroline Day, a member of the Save Leyton Marsh group, said that aside from the temporary loss of a public green space, local residents were concerned that the construction would be built without suitable environmental assessment, and that digging could uncover harmful substances.

“It’s not just an issue of the loss of a green space, or the lack of consultation. We also have very real concerns for the safety of local people,” she said.

“We will continue with our protest, in a peaceful way. We feel very strongly about the issue and will not be giving up.”