Protesters from the Occupy anti-capitalist group have been accused of devastating a London nature reserve by tearing down trees for firewood.
Residents and volunteers who look after Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park claim activists have damaged the habitats of rare butterflies and birds.
Up to 20 protesters pitched their tents in Mile End Park next to the nature reserve nearly two months ago. They were part of the Occupy camp evicted from outside St Paul’s Cathedral in February after a High Court battle.
There have been arguments between local people who look after the reserve and the activists over their alleged refusal to stop using trees for firewood.
Ken Greenway, a Friends of Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park manager, said: “We asked them to stop and they agreed, but they didn’t stick to their word.
"They’ve been pillaging with no thought for the habitats and the wildlife, the schoolchildren who come here to learn about nature or the ordinary people who want to come and enjoy one of the borough’s few public green spaces.
"We caught them tearing down young sycamore trees and their justification was that they’re a non-native British species so they’re weeds. When we explained to them that most of Britain’s trees are non-native they got aggressive and confrontational.”
Raymond Obedencio, from the Occupy group, said they had stopped tearing down trees and were now only collecting “dead wood” for their campfire. He said: “We apologise if we have upset the friends of the park. We’re trying to be careful and we don’t want to harm the wildlife, but the alternative to using dead wood is to use charcoal, from rainforests in Indonesia.”
Tower Hamlets council is going to court tomorrow to seek a possession order to evict the activists. Mr Obedencio said the group had not yet decided whether to contest the legal action.
He also said the “nomadic camp” would be moving soon to another London location.
