'It’s not a protest, it’s life': Inside Manchester's red tent homeless camp

They are usually the go-to spot for that Kodak moment for tourists and budding photographers, but in the past three weeks the arches in St Peter's Square have been a haven to the homeless.

The red tent camp sprung up on March 23rd. It was initially described as a protest by organiser Emma Leyla Mohareb - who said they would only leave the camp if Manchester council agreed to use ‘two buildings that are used for staff training’ as temporary shelters.

Word spread and it soon morphed into what Emma described as a 'community'. At its peak, around 100 people were camped underneath the arches by Central Library, sharing the space with the commuters, delivery drivers and students who make the area one of the busiest in the city.

Numbers significantly dwindled after occupants were offered temporary accommodation by the council, this week the last few stubbornly remained.

READ MORE: Support given to homeless at Manchester's 'untenable' red tent camp outside Town Hall

While much has been made about the inception of the gathering and its goals, those who are still there say it’s nothing more than the grim realities of living on the streets.

“It’s not a protest, it’s life," one homeless man who preferred to remain anonymous. As far as he's concerned, this is simply one of the most attractive places to sleep rough. It's sheltered, it's visible, and it's central. The company and camaraderie is respite from the isolation of the streets.

“People want somewhere safe to live, we feel safe here," he says. "It’s busy, the public are always walking past, if we’re on the street corner in the town centre we’re going to get mugged, we’re going to get our stuff nicked. It’s not a protest, we are genuinely homeless.”

Those who are still