Dean of St. Paul's Cathedral stepping down

The Dean of St. Pauls Cathedral has become the second high-profile clergy member to step down over anti-capitalist protests that have spilled across the historic churchs grounds.The resignation Monday of Graeme Knowles leaves the cathedral without a leader and will delay a planned legal action to evict the protest camp.Knowles said his position had become untenable as criticism of the cathedral mounted in the press and in public opinion. Knowles had urged protesters to leave the cathedral area to allow it to reopen its doors.Officials shut the church to the public on Oct. 21, saying demonstrators tents were a health and safety hazard. It was the first time the 300-year-old London church had closed since German planes bombed the city during World War II. It reopened Friday.Knowles resignation follows that last week of Giles Fraser, a senior St. Pauls Cathedral priest who had welcomed the anti-capitalist demonstrators to set up camp outside the landmark, inspired by New Yorks Occupy Wall Street movement. He said he resigned because he feared moves to evict the protesters could end in violence.A part-time chaplain, Fraser Dyer, also resigned last week, saying he was embarrassed by the decision to take legal action to try to evict the protesters.Senior clergy have been divided over how to handle the scores of tents set up outside the iconic cathedral near the River Thames in central London. Demonstrators erected the tents Oct. 15, during a thwarted attempt to stage a protest outside the nearby London Stock Exchange.