Manchester City Council staff have evicted dozens of homeless people from St Peter’s Square homeless camp with tents thrown into the back of bin lorries.

Staff from the Manchester City Council evicted dozens of tents at 6.45 this morning (February 26) after a court granted the authority a ‘possession order’ to retake the land at a hearing earlier this month. Camp residents, mainly refugees, were handed plastic bags for their belongings as bailiffs ‘knocked on’ tents and instructed those living in the camp to leave.

Some tents were thrown into a bin lorry, but they were already abandoned, a spokesperson for the council said in a new statement issued after the operation took place.

placeholder image — Staff from the Manchester City Council evicted dozens of tents at 6.45 this morning (February 26) after a court granted the authority a ‘possession order’ to retake the land | @MancStPauli on Twitter

Some tents were thrown into a bin lorry, but they were already abandoned, a spokesperson for the council said | @MancStPauli on Twitter

The statement said: “The court order instructing people in the St Peter’s Square camp to leave the area was carried out successfully this morning.

“This brings to an end the encampment which has been in place there for several months, with fluctuating numbers, occupied by people who are refugees who have been granted the right to remain in the country.

“We have conducted homelessness assessments for people camping there and offered temporary accommodation to everyone who we owed a statutory duty – anyone classed as vulnerable and in priority need. Others on site who were not classed as vulnerable were still offered advice and support, including a personal housing plan, to help them secure accommodation for themselves.

“People were given the choice to pack up and take their tents with them. The only tents which were disposed of were ones which had been abandoned.”

The council said help is at hand for any Manchester resident facing homelessness and its service works alongside voluntary and community sector organisations in the city.

“But as we have consistently stated, this informal camp in St Peter’s Square was not a safe, sanitary or suitable place from which to access support,” the statement added.

Camp residents, mainly refugees, were handed plastic bags for their belongings as bailiffs ‘knocked on’ tents and instructed those living in the camp to leave. | @MancStPauli on Twitter

“Nor does camping in a public space accelerate their homelessness application or gain them any other advantage.

“We have had a number of issues in keeping the area safe, secure and clean – as we saw in the run-up to Remembrance Weekend and New Year’s Eve events. The presence of the tents has also impacted on the day-to-day delivery of services from the town hall extension, including hindering evacuation in the event of an alarm.

“We’re glad the issue at this location has been addressed and would stress that help is available through established procedures for anyone who finds themselves facing homelessness.

The ‘red tent camp’ sprang up last spring, initially as a protest | LDRS

“The possession order was specific to St Peter’s Square – and the issues there – to ensure it was reasonable and proportionate. While those specific issues have now been addressed, we remain clear that such encampments anywhere in the city are not in anyone’s best interests and are not a suitable place from which to access support. We will continue to engage with the people in the tents and monitor the situation.”

The ‘red tent camp’ sprang up last spring, initially as a protest, but soon morphed into a long-term spot homeless people stayed in. Although they were moved on by authorities for Remembrance Sunday and New Year’s Eve fireworks celebrations, the camp became a fixture on St Peter’s Square until Wednesday.