'Occupy' protest won't leave St. Paul's

LONDON, Oct. 21 (UPI) -- St. Paul's Cathedral in the heart of London's financial district closed to visitors Friday because of the protesters camped outside.

Participants in the week-old Occupy the London Stock Exchange protest said they would not move away from the cathedral, The Guardian reported. Organizers originally intended to camp in nearby Paternoster Square, where the stock exchange is located, but were blocked from the privately owned area by police.

The Rt. Rev. Graeme Knowles, dean of St. Paul's, asked protesters Friday to "let the cathedral get its life back." Knowles and the cathedral chapter decided on the closing Thursday night.

The 300-year-old cathedral last closed to the public during World War II.

Knowles praised the protesters in a statement but said their growing numbers made the area unsafe for visitors.

"There is something profound about protest being made and heard in front of this most holy place -- a gathering together of those concerned about poverty and inequality facing the great dome of this cathedral church," Knowles said.