St Paul's campers urged to leave peacefully as they lose eviction appeal

The St Paul's protest campers face immediate eviction today after losing a final court battle.
Three Court of Appeal judges threw out their attempt to have an order for their removal overturned.

Their lawyers made no attempt in court to seek permission to take the case to the Supreme Court. After the hearing, barrister Michael Paget said he hoped the Corporation of London would give the protesters "reasonable time" to leave voluntarily.

However, at the camp itself, protesters said they would meet to decide whether to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights. Other options being discussed included moving to a "brownfield" site nearby.

One protester, Owen Jones, 50, who was homeless before he joined the camp, said: "I'm here and I'm not going nowhere. I want to know how much force the police are coming with so that we can give it to them back."

The camp started on October 15 last year and quickly built up to 200 tents. According to court documents, it created serious hygiene problems and proved a magnet for criminals.

At a High Court hearing last month, Mr Justice Lindblom granted orders for possession against Occupy London and said the authorities' intention to clear the area was "entirely lawful and justified".

Today the three judges headed by the Master of the Rolls, Lord Neuberger, described that ruling as "conspicuously full and careful".

They told a packed courtroom that the camp had trespassed on church land, interfered with the public's right of way and right to worship in the cathedral, breached planning control, caused strain on public health facilities and damaged local businesses.

They said the public's human rights outweighed the protesters' rights under the European Convention.

The judges praised the protesters for putting forward their "passionately held" views with clarity but they said legal wrangling over protest camps must be curtailed in future. "In cases of this nature it should be possible for the hearing to be disposed of at first instance more quickly."

Occupy spokeswoman Naomi Colvin said: "The judgment is disappointing but not surprising, it's kind of what we expected. There will be a general assembly tonight focused on the question of what to do next."

Stuart Fraser, the City of London's policy chairman, urged the protesters to leave peacefully but refused to reveal if the Corporation had set a deadline. "I call on protesters to comply with the decision of the courts and remove their tents and equipment voluntarily right away," he said.