London mayor's move welcomed by Westminster council as end to 'hijacking of one of London's historic public spaces'

This article is more than 10 years old

This article is more than 10 years old

Boris Johnson, the mayor of London, today won a high court order evicting protesters who have turned Parliament Square into a makeshift encampment.

Mr Justice Griffith Williams said the mayor had "directed himself correctly, considered all the relevant matters and reached a reasoned decision which cannot be criticised".

He noted that the camp had no running water or toilet facilities and said there was evidence of criminal damage to flowerbeds, graffiti and other unlawful activity.

There was also evidence that the camp was acting as a magnet to homeless people who were taking advantage of the lack of control, and evidence of heavy drinking.

"I am satisfied the Greater London Authority and the mayor are being prevented from exercising their necessary powers of control management and care of Parliament Square Gardens," he said.

A Greater London Authority spokesman said the mayor was pleased the court had supported the GLA's application.

"The mayor respects the right to demonstrate," the spokesman said. "However, the scale and impact of the protest, which has gone on since 1 May, has caused considerable damage to the square and prevented its peaceful use by other Londoners, including those who may have wished to conduct an authorised protest.

"Parliament Square sits alongside a world heritage site and is a top tourist attraction that is visited by thousands of people and broadcast around the world each day."

Colin Barrow, the leader of Westminster City Council, also welcomed the court's verdict, saying: "We are delighted by this decision, as we feel that the hijacking of Parliament Square, one of London's historic public spaces, needed to be brought to an end.

"We all support peaceful protest, but it is completely unacceptable for parts of our city to be occupied and turned into no-go areas by vociferous minorities, however laudable each cause might be."

However, the Green party GLA member Jenny Jones said it was "a bad day for democracy in London".

"The lack of police presence showed that the protesters were not causing a problem," she said. "Yet the mayor was dogmatic in pursuing an expensive legal process.

"The mayor has satisfied the lobby who wanted the square 'tidied up' – but at what cost to our democracy?"

The decision, however, does not affect the activist Brian Haw, who has been protesting on the pavement by the square, opposite the Houses of Parliament, for the past nine years.

Haw first set up camp in June 2001 in a one-man protest against war and foreign policy – initially the sanctions against Iraq.

He said he had been inspired to take up his vigil after seeing images and information produced by the anti-sanctions Mariam appeal campaign.

The father of seven has been arrested many times, most recently last month, but successfully resisted repeated legal attempts by Tory-led Westminster council and the former Labour government to remove him.

Prior to the high court's decision, demonstrators in the square said they feared defeat.

Ian, a protester in his 60s, said: "I suppose we've done quite a lot of good work in a way. It's inevitable that the state stamps on anything that challenges its authority."

Others said they had not thought the demonstrations would last as long as they have and would protest non-violently when the bailiffs came to remove them.

Greater London authority (GLA) officers acting for Johnson began proceedings for trespass at the high court at the start of the month.

Johnson outlined his decision to apply to the high court to begin legal proceedings for trespass on the same day that David Cameron's Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government announced plans to "restore rights to non-violent protest" as part of its 18-month legislative programme.

In its various guises the camp has included communists, climate change protesters, opponents of the war in Afghanistan, anarchists and homeless people.

It has also featured a communal vegetarian kitchen, an IT tent and a "peace garden" with an oak sapling surrounded by vegetables planted in the ground.