'Occupy Bristol' uncovered by thermal images

Only two out of 30 tents are being used by the 'Occupy Bristol' protesters to sleep in overnight. This was discovered after the Evening Post took pictures of the camp on College Green using a thermal imaging camera, capable of detecting body heat.

According to the 'Occupy Bristol' website, they are not sleeping in the tents due to the cold weather but that doesn't mean that the movement has weakened. In addition, the protesters also released a statement in which they say that they might take down all the tents on January 1st 2012 in order to "consolidate" the occupation:

“We are also planning to re-structure and consolidate the camp to both improve the look of it and to help us prepare for the cold days ahead. There will be a few new small & low impact ‘bender’ structures made out of hazel and canvas appearing. We will also be taking down some of the other less practical and visually appealing structures, as well as some of the tents. We are looking forward to completing our communal bender which will be a warm dry place that we can conduct meetings and workshops.”

Representatives from the city council and Bristol Cathedral argue that the Evening Post images confirmed their suspicions that most of the the original protesters are hardly there and they believe there are enough reasons now to start a legal process of eviction.

City councillor Peter Abraham said:
"I've monitored the camp at 11.30 to 11.45 at night and I've never seen lights on in the tents. To my eyes, it was unoccupied. It (the thermal imaging pictures) confirms what has been suspected for quite a long time. I have spoken to the Dean of Bristol Cathedral and we are agreed that as soon as possible legal proceedings should be taken to allow the eviction of the site. Agree with the campaign or whatever, the campsite is an eyesore in the middle of the city and people are being robbed of the chance to go on the site. At Christmas it's a beautiful place to be, but that has been ruined."