Five held over stock exchange camp

Police have arrested five people after a group of anti-capitalist protesters set up a temporary camp outside the London Stock Exchange following May Day demonstrations.

Between 50 and 100 activists moved into Paternoster Square with tents and supplies from around 7pm on Tuesday night - but were forced to leave by officers just hours later.

It comes more than six months after members of campaign group Occupy London were prevented from occupying the square in heart of the City of London.

Instead activists set up camp outside St Paul's Cathedral just yards away from the stock exchange and remained there for four and a half months.

However, Tuesday's demonstration was much more short-lived despite Occupy saying that protesters had "fulfilled" a goal. A spokesman for the campaign group said: "This was something we have wanted to do on October 15 and we have finally done it. This is a force that will not be stopped."

Activists, who were prevented from occupying the area by police last October, moved onto Paternoster Square on Tuesday evening despite an injunction being in place making it illegal to stage protests there.

One protester set up camp on the Paternoster Square Column unfurling a banner reading "Occupy London", while a row of six tents were set up at one end of the square.

Around 30 to 40 police officers were dispatched to the site and formed a semi-circle around the demonstration, telling protesters they had 30 minutes to leave the area. The tents were swiftly picked up and removed from their temporary pitches.

Those who remained within the square after the half hour police warning were told they faced arrest if they refused to leave the area immediately.

A spokesman for City of London Police said all the demonstrators had been dispersed by just after midnight and officers had arrested three men and two women on suspicions of breaching section 14 of the public order act. There was no violence during the occupation, the spokesman said.