Cathedral makes ‘final’ plea for tent protesters to leave

Protesters from Occupy Sheffield have been camping at the churchyard since the beginning of November.

The Cathedral Chapter says the protesters do not have the cathedral’s permission to be there, and have repeatedly been asked to leave.

Church leaders say that they are prepared to take legal action if the site is not vacated and cleared within a week.

The Dean of Sheffield, the Very Rev Peter Bradley, said he had sympathy with some of the Occupy movement’s aims.

“This protest, globally and locally, has brought to wider attention issues of justice, poverty, and inequality, issues which have always concerned us at Sheffield Cathedral.

“It has challenged society to think more deeply about how we manage our financial systems, and how we care for those who are vulnerable.”

However, the Dean said the presence of the protesters in the churchyard had disrupted the cathedral’s work, including its Archer Project which aims to help Sheffield’s homeless.

He added: “Services have been interrupted, staff time has been taken up with ensuring public safety on the forecourt, bookings for school visits and for our conference facilities have declined.

“As a small organisation which receives no government funding and which supports its own charitable work through the Cathedral Archer Project, Sheffield Cathedral cannot afford this continuing drain on its resources.”

The Dean and Chapter say there appears to be little public engagement with the protest and that the site is often left unattended.

It says debris has accumulated which prevents others from enjoying the area, while there are serious concerns about unattended open fires next to tents which are stacked full of wood and paper.

The Dean has made repeated calls for them to leave the paved open space in front of the medieval church, but the protesters have said they will continue their protest through 2012.

This has raised concerns that their presence will interfere with the cathedral’s new development programme which includes a new entrance and a visitor interpretation scheme.

Last night, Occupy Sheffield said it was “disappointed” by the Dean’s stance.

A spokeswoman said: “The small health and safety issues the cathedral is focusing on pale into insignificance next to the global crisis we are trying to highlight.

“We are willing and open to talk and we have requested direct meetings with the Dean but nothing has been forthcoming.”