Showdown for UBS activists in High Court
PROTESTERS who have taken over a disused UBS building in the City could be evicted as soon as today after a High Court judgement is handed down.
Mr Justice Roth is due to rule this morning on the Occupy group’s challenge to the injunction obtained by Sun Street Properties, a subsidiary of the Swiss bank.
The protesters claim that UBS failed to give them sufficient details of a telephone hearing presided over by another High Court judge on the night of 18 November, hours after they gained entry to the Sun Street building.
They are seeking to have the eviction dismissed on the grounds it was awarded “without notice” and there is no need to protect people from “imminent, serious injury”.
If they lose, however, then the Bank of Ideas – which they describe as a community centre for people hit by public spending cuts – could be quickly closed down.
Separately police in New Orleans yesterday shut down another Occupy camp, which was set up two months ago. Dozens of people had been staying in a public park near City Hall for two months.
One person refused to leave and was arrested but the raid was otherwise peaceful, police said.