Early this morning students who had re-occupied the Bugey secondary school in the town of Belley in Ain were evicted by police.
The students had occupied the school for 114 hours. They issued several communiques over the course of the day.
Press release: March 27, 2006: Students occupying Bugey school expelled by the police.
In accordance with the decision of the General meeting of Friday March 24, the pupils of Bugey secondary-school re-occupied the school this Monday at 3 o’clock in the morning. Around thirty pupils entered the building in a non-violent way. We were peacefully occupying the school, preparing for Monday’s “day of action”. At around 7H30 about ten police vehicles arrived in front of the school. Between 30 and 50 members of the police force had been called by the headmaster in order to put an end to the occupation. We began to crowd around outside, then quickly tried to get as many of us as possible back into the school. There were very few of us as it was so early in the morning. The barricades were quickly set up and we all went up to the top floor. We chose to organize non-violent, passive resistance. We all sat down and linked arms. The police officers quickly destroyed the barricades and, rather violently, dragged us away one by one. There were about thirty of us. It took around twenty minutes for them to get us all out.
Further press releases from the day: Monday March 27, 2006, 7h35
A police intervention has prevented the re-occupation of Bugey!!! Pierre Morel has just announced that pupils attempting to re-occupy Bugey, in Ain, were caught on the third floor of the establishment, encircled by the police force. I cannot give you more precise information yet, because the occupying pupils were brought out one by one... The headmaster had specified last week that he did not wish to utilize the police force, but the pressure from the Rectorat* has forced him to act... We call for the diffusion of information, and we hope that the media will come...
Monday March 27, 2006, 12h45
Assessment of the morning to the college of Bugey, in Ain. The police force intervened to evacuate the establishment, this morning, towards 7h30. The occupying pupils (who had left the school for the weekend), were surrounded on the third floor, from where the gendarmes evacuated them, sometimes using of violence (scratches, blows...).
At 8h15 An assembly was held in front of the building, to take stock of the events. and to prepare for a mobilization tomorrow. Some parents were present, showing a lack of respect towards the pupils who spoke, cutting the speakers without any scruple. The aim was to provoke the pupils, many of whom were feeling bitter, but the teachers created a human chain, to separate the parents and the pupils. The parents of the pupils wished to speak: on a mother, and a teacher, who was against the blockade, and the CPE, asked for a little imagination on the part of the organizers. Rather than a blockade she gave the example of English pensioners who had marched naked. The representative of the FCPE (Federation of Parents of Schoolchildren) showed his indignation towards the parents who supported the CPE; once again, the parents were disrespectful, and him off as he spoke... After a discussion, the parents finding the vote by show of hands undemocratic, it was decided to vote on a strike by secret ballot: 344 pupils voted for, 45 against, and there were 5 abstentions. 9h30, A peaceful demonstration marched through the town of Belley.
11h, France3 arrived, a report was broadcast 12h, in the regional editions. 13h A General Assembly will be held on the continuation of events, principally those to take place tomorrow, in the conference room.
Monday March 27, 2006, 14h30
The general assembly of 13h30 took place in the park, in front of Bugey school. The organizers wished to underline their pride in our movement, a completely independent movement, begun on the initiative of the pupils. The pupils and students were not prompted by the adults. Although the teachers do support our movement. The blockade was peaceful throughout, some of the angry words this morning are sad but they were provoked by the often disrespectful attitudes of parents. The blockade is indeed finished, but the movement continues. For tomorrow morning, a demonstration is has been called for 10h in front of the town hall of Belley, with the trade unions, workers and school pupils. The afternoon, the pupils who want to will demonstrate in Chambéry. A teacher gave a report of the teacher’s General Assembly which took place this morning: the teachers support us in our movement. They have used their right to withdraw from classes tomorrow, and will not teach with some pupils wishing to have lessons and some not. In conclusion, they will demonstrate tomorrow morning with the pupils and workers. Hoping that our movement brings the withdrawal of the CPE...
We occupied our college for more than 114 hours in a responsible, peaceful and democratic way. The police intervention this morning indeed showed us that the state seeks to choke the life out of the dispute. In spite of their tiredness, the pupils of Bugey call for a continuation of action and especially to make Tuesday March 28 a resounding success. We call on all of the colleges of the area to launch movements. We also thank you in advance for any support which you can bring to us.
On behalf of the students of Bugey.
Translated for libcom.org
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