Bailiffs moved in just after midnight to shift anti-capitalist protesters from the steps of St Paul's Cathedral.

Dozens of police were on hand as the operation began early on Tuesday to remove the activists from the London landmark.

Some said the eviction did not mean the end of their protest.

SOUNDBITE: Unidentified protester saying (English):

"A lot of people are saying that to me as if this is it now, this is over. It's not. This is just the beginning, this is just where it starts to kick off. A lot of these people including myself will be willing to stay here regardless."

There was relatively little resistance from the activists whose four-month stay on the cathedral steps was inspired by the U.S. Occupy Wall Street protest.

Many of the 150 tents which had sprung up in the area had already been removed voluntarily.

About 50 were still in place.

The eviction went ahead after the protesters lost a legal battle to stay.

Paul Chapman, Reuters