Tall metal fences now surround the Bearpit, which has been closed indefinitely in the wake of “escalating crime, anti-social behaviour and a concern for public welfare”, according to Bristol City Council.

The council sent in enforcement officers with support from police to “secure the area” soon before midday on Wednesday.

The teams moved the remaining squatters – who had been occupying the sunken roundabout for several months – out of the space.

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By 12.30pm, diversion signs and fences had appeared at subway entrances.

One man, who appeared to have been living in the the temporary structures within the St James Barton roundabout, protested the move and engaged in heated discussions with enforcement officers.

At 1.40pm, the man was noisily lifting a subway entrance fence, but 20 minutes later, the final fences were secured by contractors.

The subways are now closed and pedestrians are unable to enter while contractors work to remove the area’s structures and containers.

Items that are not council-owned, including the much-loved statue of Ursa the bear will remain for now.

The shutdown comes following an assault which occurred in the Bearpit on Tuesday morning. A 42-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the incident.

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Read more: Mayor to take action over ‘toxic’ Bearpit situation

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Bristol mayor Marvin Rees vowed to secure the area following the incident, saying the council “cannot turn a blind eye to escalating crime and anti-social behaviour”.

On Wednesday, Rees said: “Today we took action to secure the Bearpit so we can begin to make the area safer for everyone.“There is an urgent need for us to respond to escalating anti-social behaviour, increasing crime and calls from the public and the police to improve safety in the area.

“Many of us have experienced some degree of housing that doesn’t meet our needs or is insecure. These experiences are among the many reasons we set out very ambitious targets on housing.”

Rees added: “We empathise with anyone that finds themselves in a difficult situation. We thank those squatters who left of their own accord and we are continuing to work with the many organisations in the city working on homelessness to offer them and all who find themselves without a home, the support they need. We will do the very best we can to help them.

“I recognise that people feel very passionate about the Bearpit and I hope we can work together to create a space everyone can enjoy and feel safe in. There should be no areas in Bristol where people feel afraid to walk through.”

Read more: ‘As it currently stands, the Bearpit isn’t a place where anything can thrive’