Student protests - what next?

Absolutely! If the student movement and the burgeoning local anti-cuts groups can maintain the momentum into the new year, then there is every chance a truly mass movement can develop...It is beginning to look like the poll tax all over again...Once the cuts begin to bite hard next year, the filthy bastard cannibal capitalists won't know what hit them...

I'm hearing that the 9th is the scheduled date for the fees vote in Parliament...

The 9th it is, facebook pages set up already :)

http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=173878782641548
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=173878782641548#!/event.php?eid=136567579732280

Oh good, another Whitehall march... :roll:

One of the pages is encouraging a national day of action rather then just another whitehall march..........

It looks like a lot of people are looking to get down to London... Could be a big 'event'...

Things like this.

Be inside Topshop, ready for action, by 11am on Saturday morning. At precisely 11.02am, we will take action right in the very heart of Philip Green’s Arcadia empire.

Bloody facebook again!

Is there no way to view pages without signing up?

The spirit of refusing to be kettled is growing though, so with any luck the student movement will look to diversify their tactics, like the students in Italy using roving piquetero techniques, blockading stations and roads (There was a hint of this last week at Charing Cross)...It is nice to know though, that there are only approximately 800 TSG in London, the rest being made up of 'level 2' public order-trained coppers in PSU's, that and the fact that flying wedges were being used to at least attempt to break the kettle on Whitehall...It's a shame people haven't yet cottoned on to directly targetting FIT teams to express their displeasure...It's also a shame no-one realised that Her Madge was in Leicester Square attending a royal film premiere, as she could have been petitioned by her young subjects in a direct and forceful manner....

Nope, you'll just have to be one of the digitally excluded...just like I will be once I'm made redundant...or ask a mate...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11892634

BBC

The National Union of Students have said they will hold a "day of action" on Wednesday 8 December, on the eve of the Commons vote.

So the demo on the day itself is NCAFC? lol...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/dec/02/fourth-student-protest-fees
The Guardian

The National Union of Students has announced plans for further mass student protests on the eve of a crucial Commons vote on university tuition fees.

The union has called for students across the country to begin demonstrations on 8 December.

A further rally by students and union officials is planned on the day of the vote before the group lobbies MPs inside Westminster in an effort to persuade them against voting for a rise in fees.

I don't think it's going to fatigue people... if I'm honest it seems as though the focus of a large number of protestors has swung around to the 9th. The other dates will still get an attendance, but the 9th is going to be the 'big one'.

Also I reckon the NUS 'demo' is going to be tiny. They've completely mis-read the student mood and are by now pretty much largely ignored (by grass-roots student groups at least, the Guardian still likes to give them undue prominence).

Mike Harman

... So now it's 4th, 5th, 8th, 9th, 11th...

Breaking this down, 4th/5th are alternatives, because I don't think there's anywhere that has demos on both days - some were already called for the 4th, which is why the WSM called the 'United Day of Action' in the first place for that date, then NCAFC called the 5th and some actions were planned then. So though they're on different days I'd lump the 4th/5th together (as WSM is now doing with the 'Weekend of Action Against Austerity').

The 8th I agree could be a total damp squib. The NUS-organised event in Leicester yesterday attracted 30 people according the report I've seen. Difficult to get info, as no-one was there to report on it!

I haven't seen any great swing towards the 11th yet either - that leaves 'this weekend' (4th/5th) and the 9th as the main foci of action, in my reading of the situation. Maybe after this weekend it'll be possible to asses how well the weekend protests work and if it's worth backing the call for the 11th, but at the moment it's too early to tell I'd say.

UEA has gone into occupation:

"The action comes on the same day as the ‘Big Debate’ organised by the Union of Students at UEA which will see Aaron Porter, NUS president, Simon Wright, Libdem MP for Norwich South and former Labour MP for Norwich North Ian Gibson. Following the revelation that Simon Wright has come out against the rise of tuition fees students would like to congratulate the MP and encourage him to do all his power to continue the fight for free education. One student currently occupying the building said ‘this is a peaceful occupation, we will do no damage to the building but we feel this is a necessary action to show that we feel we have been betrayed by our university and by the government.’

UEA’s Vice Chancellor, who has refused to comment on his position on tuition fees, is being asked to support students and take an anti-fees stance.

Aaron Porter, who last week pledged solidarity for students occupying at UCL, is expected to show support when he comes on campus later today.

The occupying students are asking for a show of solidarity from UEA students and lecturers in the fight for free education!"

The UCL authorities, who have apparently been very soft thus far, are now going to court in an attempt to evict the occupation:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/dec/02/students-tuition-fees-protest-ucl-eviction

NUS has shifted over to the 9th, presumably because they realised it would be a massive washout on the 8th - could be some big clashes over who's "in charge" at this rate.

LSE has just gone into occupation. Old Building, Vera Ashley Suite, 1st floor.

Over 1,000 students tried to break through a police cordon to march to the British embassy in Athens, in solidarity with British students and against austerity and education reforms in Greece.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE6B12WS20101202

There's an awful lot of Tory/rightwing trolls on the main facebook group at the moment. But if anything I think they add fuel to the fire. They portray such over the top caricatures of wealthy, heartless, individualists that it's essentially Agit-Prop at this stage...

Well NCAFC are lining up to take control, they've taken it upon themselves to start electing stewards for the march.
It's only a facebook call-out and most people attending won't know who NCAFC are let alone participate in their structure, but for them that's enough to make it exclusively 'theirs' to control I guess.

What happened during the tube strike in London? I guess it was on Monday. I heard some students from UCL were planning to go to pickets and show support for the strike. I am sure the movement needs these links to avoid isolation. But I am afraid it's just my daydreaming...

There was some solidarity between the occupations and the Tube Strikers, I recall. I distinctly remember reading that UEL had sent a delegation to one of the Picket Lines in East London.

One thing that will hopefully be learned from the occupations is the importance not only of holding the space but of holding control of access. In places like Oxford, the occupation itself was strong but it was essentially surrounded by police and isolated, limiting their contact with the outside world beyond the 'blogosphere'. The strongest occupations all seem to be those which have free access in and out.

Although I must say I've no good ideas on how you could hold access to a building - in many cases it seems down to the goodwill or otherwise of university authorities.

Jenre

Over 1,000 students tried to break through a police cordon to march to the British embassy in Athens, in solidarity with British students and against austerity and education reforms in Greece.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE6B12WS20101202

[youtube]BEz5J5ks_Zg[/youtube]

I can't say much about the tube strike, but I did manage to speak to a few pickets outside a station in East London.
As often happens in such situations it was the union rep who spoke to me rather than anyone else. I asked about students and he told me of the plan for students to join a picket in central London - I assume the UEL delegation Auto mentions must be in addition to that.
Even if its a minority, even if some of this is a symbolic action organised by unions etc, I think it does show a feeling that there is a need to link to other struggles is starting to develop.
Naturally the union rep sees linking with other workers entirely in terms of using the Trades Council and unions - which won't help the real links that need to be made by workers and students directly.
For the rest we talked about kettling, about how it had been planned in advance by the police, and I learned that the police at Wapping in the 80s went round leaving bricks in the road after making charges with police horses so they had an excuse for this - which I didn't know despite going there at the time.

Auto - you're spot on about the occupations. Some of them seem to be spending almost all their time sending each other "solidarity" messages. Solidarity must be assumed between occupations for fuck sake. Bit of a love in.

Lets be honest the government couldn't give a flying fuck if 100 students lock themselves in a lecture theatre. It hurts them not one bit, especially when the press aren't even interested (and why would they frankly). They probably don't even know about most of them.

Occupations are only useful if they are used as a base for activitiy, organising, planning and as you say, are open to other students. But most seem to be more happy playing at being part of a revolution (a revolution in one room, maybe) and talking to eachother about lefty erogenous zones like Palestine.

7 days to go and some students are now focussing on defending these mostly pointless occupations. They want a fucking rocket in their ear!

Harsh but true.

flaneur that's the house of parliament not the british embassy

It was Jenre who was quoting that from the article, not me. I just put up the video.

Alibi, what a load of rubbish.

As far as I remember the British Embassy is in Kolonaki a bit further up that road. The video is on this report about the demo.

Looks like a brief appearance by Loukanikos near the start.

I basically agree with Alibi. I guess this forum was open to look critically at the student movement, not for cheerleading. I am sure we are all happy that things kicked off, but isn't questioning and discussing the weaknesses more useful for the success of the movement than celebrations and empty revolutionary talks?
I think that occupations should be seen as means, rather they are seen as goals among the university student radical minority. They are necessary for providing infrastructure, bases, warm (?) shelter, etc., but we should also critically ask, are they really offensive tactics? How do we 'measure' offensiveness? The high school and college youth had very good instincts when they came up with the walk-outs... Is students' strike in today's conditions possible?

Paul Mason's report from the SOAS occupation for yesterday's Newsnight

Paul Mason's blog entry on the occupations

Article from Uniriot (which goes on a bit tbh)

I said what Alibi said is rubbish. I don't represent the forum obviously, it's just my view. Nor does that mean I "cheerlead" unequivocally.

Student occupations might not hurt the government but they certainly hurt university management. How can escalation which is growing and militant be anything but offensive?. As to what's offensive, I would go by Solidarity's As We See It.

Meaningful action, for revolutionaries, is whatever increases the confidence, the autonomy, the initiative, the participation, the solidarity, the equalitarian tendencies and the self -activity of the masses and whatever assists in their demystification.

Would you say that occupations don't do the above?

And we've already had student strikes. We saw one just this week gone. When kids and uni students didn't turn up for classes and instead went marching around their towns and cities, they were striking.

flaneur

I said what Alibi said is rubbish. I don't represent the forum obviously, it's just my view. Nor does that mean I "cheerlead" unequivocally.

Student occupations might not hurt the government but they certainly hurt university management. How can escalation which is growing and militant be anything but offensive?

Offensive is no good with 7 days to go. What matters now is effectiveness.

The occupations in themselves do not put heat on the MPs (nor university management particularly in brutal honesty). To believe otherwise is delusional.

What works with seven days to go is a massive street presence. Up close and fucking personal. Targeted escalation.

And the only thing that matters is what works.

alibi

Offensive is no good with 7 days to go. What matters now is effectiveness.

The occupations in themselves do not put heat on the MPs (nor university management particularly in brutal honesty). To believe otherwise is delusional.

What works with seven days to go is a massive street presence. Up close and fucking personal. Targeted escalation.

And the only thing that matters is what works.

you could start shooting Tory MPs and they'd still vote it through. it's ongoing unrest that will derail austerity, the vote's pretty much a foregone conclusion.

I did think your general jist was incredibly activisty. Turns out I was right.

7 days to go? What do you think, that the policy will be passed and that's it, nevermind and off to bed? The Poll Tax was introduced in 1989 and was running into 1990 before it was withdrawn. If anything, I think if it passes, things will heat up dramatically.

No, I thought we sorted this out. I said university occupations aren't aimed at government or MPs, it's at university management. Who do happen to care funnily enough, that's why they're currently trying to boot the UCL lot out.

I didn't realise it was either or. Regardless, as I'm sure you know, there is going to be a street presence in only a few days, and then again next week. As an aside, what do you like out of apples or oranges?

Mark - you are right in that to get to the british embassy from the parliament you have to go down that road that the cops are blocking, although it is several blocks down.

Correct, and when it goes through the protests and occupations will almost inevitably wind down (yes the CPE etc etc but its a totally different context, long buildup affair). They'll come to a complete stop within a week of the 9th due to xmas anyway. Things may pick up again, and at that point occupations will be effective. But in this context, in themselves they are irrelevant.

The manner of the bill being passed is not a foregone conclusion though.

The Liberals are all over the place right now and the protests to date have forced a split amongst them (those voting for, abstaining and voting no). That's a split that could have taken two years to emerge without these protests. And its a split that is there to be cracked wide open by everyone else who is starting to organise against these cuts, a split vwhich may bring down the government eventually.

What also matters is the mood music next week: and its numbers on the street not dozens dotted around the UK locked in lecture theatres discussing veganism whilst doing that daft hand waving shite that counts.

7 days...

flaneur

7 days to go? What do you think, that the policy will be passed and that's it, nevermind and off to bed? The Poll Tax was introduced in 1989 and was running into 1990 before it was withdrawn. If anything, I think if it passes, things will heat up dramatically.

Flaneur if I remember correctly the government changed the date of the vote to make it sooner, on December 9th, is that right? If so, why? Isn't it likely that the government anticipates that once the legislation passes the mobilisations will die down?

To take a couple of events that were being discussed here recently, the struggle against the retirement age change in France and the lorry drivers mobilisation in Greece, both of them effectively faded out once the respective law was passed.

What a bizarre angry man you are. Must dash, I'm off to brick a copper. HAVE IT.

flaneur

I did think your general jist was incredibly activisty. Turns out I was right.

I have never been a political activist.

flaneur

7 days to go? What do you think, that the policy will be passed and that's it, nevermind and off to bed? The Poll Tax was introduced in 1989 and was running into 1990 before it was withdrawn. If anything, I think if it passes, things will heat up dramatically.?

No, it will fizzle out by xmas. It may and hopefully will wind up again afterwards, but it will be a slow buildup affair when it does (as were the Poll tax and CPE). Occupations from 2 months previously won't be very relevant at that stage.

To reiterate, what's happened to date has been fantastic, students have been an inspiration. But from this moment on occupations cannot be a distraction from what matters in the immediate future: the street. If occupations are not helping enable a large angry street presence next week then they are proving a distraction.

dinosavros

flaneur

7 days to go? What do you think, that the policy will be passed and that's it, nevermind and off to bed? The Poll Tax was introduced in 1989 and was running into 1990 before it was withdrawn. If anything, I think if it passes, things will heat up dramatically.

Flaneur if I remember correctly the government changed the date of the vote to make it sooner, on December 9th, is that right? If so, why? Isn't it likely that the government anticipates that once the legislation passes the mobilisations will die down?

To take a couple of events that were being discussed here recently, the struggle against the retirement age change in France and the lorry drivers mobilisation in Greece, both of them effectively faded out once the respective law was passed.

Oh no doubt they're trying to rush it through in the hope things fade away. I'm not saying that won't or can't happen. But after the past couple of weeks I find it difficult to not be hopeful. It could go either way but there's precendent with the Poll Tax that it can come back to bite you in the arse too.

flaneur

What a bizarre angry man you are. Must dash, I'm off to brick a copper. HAVE IT.

Strange reply.

alibi

To reiterate, what's happened to date has been fantastic, students have been an inspiration. But from this moment on occupations cannot be a distraction from what matters in the immediate future: the street. If occupations are not helping enable a large angry street presence next week then they are proving a distraction.

There have been two demos in the last week, and there are more to come on the 4th, 5th, 9th and 11th?

alibi

No, it will fizzle out by xmas. It may and hopefully will wind up again afterwards, but it will be a slow buildup affair when it does (as were the Poll tax and CPE). Occupations from 2 months previously won't be very relevant at that stage.

To reiterate, what's happened to date has been fantastic, students have been an inspiration. But from this moment on occupations cannot be a distraction from what matters in the immediate future: the street. If occupations are not helping enable a large angry street presence next week then they are proving a distraction.

I've already quoted this once but it's worth quoting again:

The Greeks 20 years ago - how it should be done

ATHENS - Monday, February 25, 1991

A wave of high school occupations forced the government late last month to withdraw education legislation and promise to discuss its proposals with students piece by piece.

The seven-week occupation of 2000 high schools was the biggest challenge yet to the 10-month rule of Prime Minister Constantine Mitsotakis and his reactionary New Democracy party (ND).

The high school movement is unprecedented in its depth, unanimity amongst students, freshness and radicalism. Week after week, hundreds of thousands of high school students held meetings at their schools and voted in huge majorities to continue the occupations, and they continually took to the streets in enormous demonstrations.

...

This enormous movement has put a definite end to the wave of conservatism and apathy that had been on the rise for several years. Gradually, most of the country's universities and colleges were also occupied, and the movement was widely supported by both teachers and parents.

...

Returning from the Christmas break on January 7, students around the country had voted in huge majorities to continue the occupation movement for better education and the repeal of anti-education legislation of the ND government.

...

top stuff, and if the uni occupations are showing the high school students what they're doing and proposing the kids do the same then that clearly is effective.

if they're just debating lefty obsessions (mumia, cuba, minute ideological distinctions whatever) then that's not.

I think it differs between the individual universities. There's no uniform nature between the occupations - some seem quite Libertarian (relatively speaking) and others seem more typically 'Left-wing'. I think what people are arguing here is that it's the generality of what the rise of the occupations represent that is important.

And I don't think it's going to dent the presence on the streets next week - which let's not forget seems to have a big working-class student presence. So even if some of the occupations are 'the usual crowd' I don't think it detracts from what appears to be a quite wide-ranging movement.

if they're just debating lefty obsessions (mumia, cuba, minute ideological distinctions whatever) then that's not.

I get the impression there's none of this whatsoever. There certainly wasn't in Oxford.

I think it is worth discussing the limits of occupations though.
Joseph Kay says:

it's ongoing unrest that will derail austerity, the vote's pretty much a foregone conclusion.

which is clearly right. But it's too vague and abstract to be massively helpful. Actually I think probably - in a little while when occupations get no media attention and are more the norm - occupations of some lecture theatre or something, even if there were dozens at any one time, really don't disrupt capital at all. I know that's taking one thing in isolation - of course it alone can't stop austerity. But it is much much less effective than a strike for example, where capitalism is more deeply and directly affected.
Students' potential to create really disruptive unrest seems to me pretty limited unfortunately. Because our role in sustaining capitalism is much more indirect; we are being made into future workers. Besides, missing lessons or lectures, or having some cancelled altogether, does not even really interfere much with our education. Capital can accommodate a lot more student strikes, walkout and occupations than it can workers' industrial action.
I guess students' struggles can act as something to inspire others, but the innate power of our students' struggles doesn't seem great.
I'm just thinking this through, and hopefully can be persuaded otherwise though.

well students can do things like economic blockades (morning commuter hubs, shopping centres, fuel depots...), and often have less to lose than waged workers

Mark the comparison is important and relevent, a lot can be learned from it, and it is true that in Greece the student occupations movement against education reforms was one of the main factors in radicalizing a big part of society again in Greece.

To point out some differences:
-universities are public and not private economic entities like in the UK
-universities are protected by asylum laws which in practice means it is very difficult for the police to go inside without causing a large public outcry including the government opposition
-a lot of high schools were occupied and not just universities, as the article points out (something that hasn't happened in the UK right? at least not yet)

Question Time's in London that night too...

They do know 12pm is midnight, yeah?

No it isn't!

Yeah, it is. If they mean 'noon' then it's 'noon' or even '12 noon' if you want to be tautological (because all noons must be 12). 12pm is midnight. Check up if you don't want to accept my word for it.

slothjabber

Yeah, it is. If they mean 'noon' then it's 'noon' or even '12 noon' if you want to be tautological (because all noons must be 12). 12pm is midnight. Check up if you don't want to accept my word for it.

Not according to the all knowing wikipedia.

Writing 12 noon on the poster would have been unambiguous.

From the other side of the world it seems to me that the parliament house demonstration is bound to turn into a massive riot which would be fine if the cops get smashed but I'd be surprised if that happens. Although I guess everyone was surprised by the Poll Tax riot too.

edit: to slow

Photo from the Greek demo

UCL Occupation

Huge gratitude from all of us here. We can all hardly believe this… solidarity to all Greek students!
ucl occupation
Friday, December 3, 2010 at 1:33 am

Apparently the London Lib Dem conference at Haverstock School (4th Dec)has been cancelled by the venue. I've yet to see a reliable source for it, but if true it looks like student pressure is definitely having an effect...

Also, spotted on the official Conservative web page:

http://soasoccupation2010.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/no-cuts-conservatives1.jpg

Auto

Apparently the London Lib Dem conference at Haverstock School (4th Dec)has been cancelled by the venue. I've yet to see a reliable source for it, but if true it looks like student pressure is definitely having an effect...

It says so here...
http://www.coalitionofresistance.org.uk/2010/11/protest-at-london-lib-dem-conference-in-camden-4-december/

Protest forces cancellation of London Lib Dem Conference in Camden 4 December
This event has now been cancelled. A decision was taken by the venue to cancel the booking. Lib Dems will be making a press anouncement at about 10.00hrs today. A message will also go on the Lib Dem web sites during the day.

Whether it's a reliable source I couldn't say, and I can't find anything else to confirm it.

indymedia london...
http://london.indymedia.org.uk/articles/6290

tomorrow's lib dem london conference cancelled?

the coalition of resistance are announcing that the haverstock school has cancelled the booking for tomorrow's london lib dem conference due to fears for the security of the venue with mass protests planned.

the head teacher at haverstock school has confirmed to me that the venue was hired out by the PFI company that owns the school buidlings, but that school staff were concerned about the possible implications to the safety of children attending a saturday school, and although the staff don't have a direct say in the use of the building, the PFI company, in discussions with the lib dems, have now cancelled the booking due to the concerns raised.

the coalition of resistance website suggests the lib dems are making press announcements and updating the web site with the news, but i haven't yet been able to confirm this. the london lib dem office does not answer phone calls.

i guess the main question is, will the conference take place somewhere else? they can obviously run, but can they hide?

The Guardian

Students occupying a building at the University of Leeds have called for a student strike and 'complete education shutdown' in Leeds next Wednesday.

[...]

"We are asking students in every secondary school and college in Leeds not to go to lectures on Wednesday and have a complete education shutdown in the city.

"We're going to meet at noon and hold a protest and day of action in Leeds - and we'd like students, members of the public and trades unionists to come and join us.

"The Con-Dem government has no mandate for these cuts. If we can stop the tuition fee rises, it will throw into question the necessity and inevitability of their entire austerity agenda."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/leeds/2010/dec/03/occupiers-call-for-student-strike-and-complete-education-shutdown-in-leeds?CMP=twt_gu

.

Occupied Leeds

The original claim on the libdem cancellation seems to be from the Free Education Campaign's blog, doesn't mention whether the conference is off.

Rob Ray

The original claim on the libdem cancellation seems to be from the Free Education Campaign's blog, doesn't mention whether the conference is off.

BBC report it's moved to another location.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-11911705

Which the Lib Dems have kindly told us.

'How to find us'

nice. 'working together to win'

Lol they'd refused to tell reporters where it was as well, obviously someone didn't get the memo :D

I'm really wary of moving it to a centralised London demo. Maybe misjudging things, but while I can see the angry kids from past 2 days of action totally fucking shit up locally, I can't see them heading up to London. I'm mostly thinking outloud here, but I think the mistake here is confusing (slightly incoherent) working class rage with a a nasecent "movement" - for me what made past 2 days of action so important was it was a very genuine and immediate responce to being fucked over. However, much as NCAFC et al may want it to be, for the overwhelming part it just didn't feel like a political movement that can be directed to demos in the capital. In this it felt very very different to Iraq demos for example.

I mean I'd love to be wrong, and obviously massive disorder outside parliament would be amazing!

I agree with you, demos should be localised, and the decentralisation of the movement offers more avenues for self-expression and autonomy from the leftist recuperators (as we are seeing up and down the country).

To be honest though, I think there may well be enough people in London itself to make massive disorder ouside Parliament a real possibility. People are right to point to the huge numbers of school kids/6th formers on demos, but they need to add to them the large figures of lumpen rude boy estate kids who always come out to have a pop at the rozz, as well as the assorted anarchists/leftists. That said, the unifying tactical imperative of these demos is now to avoid the kettle, so maybe Parliament will be abandoned for less predictable targets. I honestly don't know what will happen.

Well the Leeds occupiers have made a massive callout (see above), so I reckon there'll be some big demos. And I agree with Caiman that there'll be big numbers in London (8,000 already signed up on FB alone).

I also agree that unpredictability is now the big hallmark of these events. Despite attempts from some quarters, the student protests remain resolutely leaderless - and I don't think the NCAFC's electing of stewards is going to make much difference. It's going to be a case of seeing what happens on the day. I think that the unpredictability of it all will be weighing more on politicians minds than any rediculous NUS-led 'candlelit vigil'.

Auto

I think that the unpredictability of it all will be weighing more on politicians minds than any rediculous NUS-led 'candlelit vigil'.

But...but...they're lighting 9,000 candles! :lol:

Haven't seen this anywhere, so putting up - just got back from London Met which went into occupation last night around 9pm.

There was a short rally outside (only 10-15 people) with support from UNISON and UNITE reps, but basically lefty-free. This part of the university is in an interesting location compared to some (like the Bloomsbury unis and ones with campuses) as it's on the Holloway Road, so is right within a residential/shopping area. It's also (literally) around the corner from the Arsenal stadium - so tomorrow there will be an additional 60,000 people in the area! I plan to leaflet the crowd tomorrow (I'm a season ticket holder and around there all the time, so hopefully not considered a lefty weirdo!), but they definitely need support wherever possible. I'm not sure the numbers are that huge and they seem slightly directionless - other than building for next week and trying to keep public informed.

Will keep you posted but I'm sure other stories/photos will be up on Indymedia etc soon.

Caiman del Barrio

Auto

I think that the unpredictability of it all will be weighing more on politicians minds than any rediculous NUS-led 'candlelit vigil'.

But...but...they're lighting 9,000 candles! :lol:

Yeah i think you're misreading me...maybe lumpen sounds pejorative but that certainly wasn't my intention. I was making a somewhat dispassionate assessment of the demographics on demos.

Second venue has pulled out, conference is suspended until February.

Well, you know what those LibDems are like, they just attract trouble.

You can judge a man by the company he keeps, is what I've heard.

BTW Rob Ray, have you a source or link I can spread?

No Platform for Liberalism! :lol:

How'd you know that Rob?

It's not online yet, one of our reporters mentioned it.

Any idea if we'll get confirmation? I have a contact with the LibDem conference protest group and obviously they need info. If nothing else so they can plan to protest something else maybe?

AP -It's official-

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5htxsoM9mE-Sr35AYW7sY80l-2MyA?docId=B26801641291388252A00

btw, Is there still confusion over the demo on the 11th ?

Ah, gorgeous, I could kiss the both of you.

In a fraternal, solidaritous non-predatory proletarian way of course.

Topshop is going to be awfully packed this weekend.

I love proletarian snogging!

Enjoy!-

Lib Dems are losing cash, voters and supporters

A Lib Dem spokesperson said: “The loss of Short money following the formation of the coalition Government has affected the party’s finances, but following a successful autumn conference, we are confident that our fundraising will go from strength to strength.”

http://www.tribunemagazine.co.uk/2010/12/lib-dems-are-losing-cash-voters-and-supporters/

Hardy-ha-ha!

caimen

To be honest though, I think there may well be enough people in London itself to make massive disorder ouside Parliament a real possibility. People are right to point to the huge numbers of school kids/6th formers on demos, but they need to add to them the large figures of lumpen rude boy estate kids who always come out to have a pop at the rozz, as well as the assorted anarchists/leftists. That said, the unifying tactical imperative of these demos is now to avoid the kettle, so maybe Parliament will be abandoned for less predictable targets. I honestly don't know what will happen.

Actually talking to a few of these kids, I get the impression they are quite shocked at the naked police aggression, they've seen and experienced. Whilst they have previous bad experiences of the police; harassment. S&S, etc and a general contempt for the police, seeing the police acting as a large force of oppression, unprovoked smacking people in the face has added a new depth to their disgust.

Incubus

I love proletarian snogging!

Best sort of snogging IMO.

Reports from day of action in Cambridge in the Guardian and the Cambridge Defend Education site.

UPDATE: We again have control of access, but police are still attempting to curtail entry and we continue to call for supporters to come to the occupation.

EMERGENCY PRESS RELEASE: Cambridge police and security kettle students inside occupation

University security staff and Cambridgeshire police have barricaded the students occupying Cambridge University, locking them inside.

At around 5pm, officers formed a barricade at the main gate. They are not allowing food past the gate or access to toilets.

A crowd of academics and students have amassed outside the building in support of the students barricaded inside. They are not being allowed inside.

The students in the occupation have called on supporters to join the crowd outside the occupation. They issued this statement: “We are outraged that the university would attempt to starve students out and limit their access to toilets. This is an unsafe, disproportionate, and violent response to a peaceful and non-violent occupation. The University is still refusing to reply to our demands and is instead taking violent means against us. We call on all supporters to come down and challenge the blockade of the occupation.”

The students have been occupying the Old Schools administrative centre of the university since last Friday. Today, the students blockaded access to the entire Old Schools site, closing all the offices, and also occupied the Guildhall of the Lib Dem-controlled town council.

Well yeah quite, I really don't quite know what's so wrong with this demographic coming out? Obviously many of them have had much more experience of police brutality than your average student (myself included), and many of them have quite an acute understanding of their (lack of) opportunities. I don't think we should deny their existence, but neither should we be hostile to them.

EDIT re Jason

From the New Statesman:

The student movement evolves

The day the teenagers turned on Topshop

Student occupiers call on NUS president to stand down
.

Edit: Topshop protest at Oxford Circus on Channel 4 news

I am certainly not suggesting that these 'yoof' don't come out, the more the merrier. Your comment seemed to me to a bit 'Class War' valourising the supposedly most disadvantaged and prone to violence as the real deal. Maybe I missed your drift, my point was two fold, it is problematic defining folks in this way as it homogenises people with widely differing experiences, reducing them to cypher. And that their 'common' experience and antagonism to the police actually seems to have left them little more prepared to deal with the state's violence (especially emotionally) than your average punter, beyond a have a go attitude.

local yoof on demos can be amazing. a mate of mine described to me the experience of being in a ninjarchist black block of a hundred odd facing off against the police when a young lad walked out in front with a stick in each hand and started screaming abuse at them. when it became clear it wasn't gonna kick off, he chucked both the sticks at the police line, turned his back and left.

Jason Cortez

Your comment seemed to me to a bit 'Class War'

So I'm Class War and SWP? :confused: Can everyone stop hoisting positions on me please?

And Womens Institute.

Seems like it's been a good day against Topshop stores today.

Read a Twitter that people had superglued themselves to a window in Brighton and in London, BHS, Dorothy Perkins, Boots, Vodafone, Miss Selfridge and Topshop itself have been closed. Short BBC video.

...as far as I can see though, I've identified their presence on demos, and attempted to draw some very meek generalisations (qualifiying them as thus). I don't really see any conflict between mine and Jason's posts.

Just back from the Oxford Topshop demo. A bit of a weak one to be honest. A handful of people sat outside the shop (but not stopping people going in and out). Leaflets were handed out but most locals seemed bemused as to what 'students' had against Topshop. The one positive moment of the day was when some protestors decided to block the one remaining open door but this soon dissapated and the store was left to conduct its business largely unhindered.

I was observing from across the road at one point when I suddenly found myself surrounded by Evidence gatherers who were watching/filming the protest and seemed completely oblivious to my presence (I'm like a fucking ninja, me).

Eavesdropping in on their conversation, I discovered that they had expected a lot more protesters but that 'these seem to be the only ones in town at this time'. They also radioed control to say that they'd spotted an individual they believed to be an organiser. They gave instructions on where he was headed, presumably so he could be tracked on CCTV.

It looks like they were expecting a big day as the Clarendon centre had extra security on all doors, as did Boots and Vodafone. Two riot vans were parked round the side of boots at one point, so they obviously thought there was potential for a big event.

I just wonder what happened.

I suspect most people are waiting for the 9th now.

Why aren't we supporting the students? Maybe we've been psychically kettled

Another Guardian article, another journalist visits the UCL occupation. To me the most interesting bit is this, though it's only mentioned in passing:
The Guardian

Into this hub of activity come other, younger students wanting to see how its done: polite, well-spoken boys who want to stage occupations in their sixth forms about the removal of the Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA).

The media of course has banged on about tuition fees as the children of media people go to university. Little has been said about EMA, a means-tested benefit, possibly because those who live on less than £20,000 a year are not in the middle-class bubble.

So it sounds like sixth formers are now talking about occupations over EMA...

I have talked to sixth formers who want to occupy, or have been involved in occupations, but don't feel comfortable or confident enough to occupy their own sixth forms. Which is fair enough, much more likely to get done for it. Also, although self-organisation is a good thing, it's a lot easier to just support an occupation being done by uni students or whatever, than go alone with just other sixth formers. I think getting sympathetic teachers on board, even if they can't do much practically, would be helpful just for confidence.
But tentatively I think there is movement in that direction.

mons

I think getting sympathetic teachers on board, even if they can't do much practically, would be helpful just for confidence.

This is probably one of the differences between here and Greece, where there's a tradition of school occupations going back to 1990-91 and where I suspect there's always been support and encouragement from many of the teachers.

It's probably also true that in Greece school occupations are tolerated to some extent, something like the way university occupations are accepted here as something that students do, as a rite of passage and so on, whereas here school occupations might get a very different reaction.

Maybe someone from Greece could comment on this.

Letter to their teachers from sixth formers at Camden School for Girls:

Walking out of school is not easy, but we have no other option

.

Edit: also on youtube at the UCL occupation

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11920628

Here come the scraps...

Thousands of university students from poorer backgrounds could have their tuition fees paid for up to two years, ministers have proposed.

A government source said any student eligible for free school meals could get their tuition fees paid for a year.

And universities which charge more than £6,000 a year could be forced to pay such students' fees for a further year.

Students' power is limited. But their anger and revolt can prove contagious

On the comments thread for that article someone's posted a link to this short
documentary about Paris in May 1968

It's the second anniversary of Alexis Grigoropoulos's murder by Greek police - http://www.occupiedlondon.org/blog/2010/12/06/434-alexis-is-gone-for-two-years-hes-gone-to-a-university-occupation-in-london-standing-behind-a-barricade-in-rome-protesting-in-the-streets-of-dublin/ and http://libcom.org/forums/news/some-news-greece-05122010

In light of this, and the attempt by Greek students to demonstrate outside the British embassy in Athens in solidarity with our struggles, maybe anyone who doesn't fancy marching on Parliament on Thursday can consider demonstrating at the Greek embassy in Holland Park instead?

slothjabber

A post on athens indymedia from 'Slade Occupation' says that there is a march to the Greek embassy in West London tomorrow Monday 6th December at 13:00 in solidarity with the greek students who demonstrated outside the British Embassy.

Link in Greek

Ah, OK. I hadn't heard about these, and unfortunately there's no way I can get to London this afternoon. Good luck to all those demonstrating this afternoon.

Apparently the Lib Dem MP John Hemming has just had his office occupied...

*resists obvious joke*

Also I've heard word about Bristol and St Andrews going into occupation today - can anyone confirm?

From Twitter:

"NUS NEC votes AGAINST backing the demonstration on Thursday, day of fees vote. What an utter #DISGRACE. #demo2010 via @twp1977 #Solidarity"

Auto can you confirm any of these?

Well I've yet to see a source on the NUS story (though given their track record it wouldn's surprise me).

Bristol Uni is definitely in occupation:
(Statement)

Still haven't seen confirmation on St Andrews though.

Yeah, that was the Lib Dem MP I mentioned earlier... can't find it at the moment but there was a picture of it up on Twitter, so that's definitely been confirmed.

http://www.goldsmithssu.org/blog/entry/27

Goldsmiths threatens to take £15,000 out of the Student Union budget to cover the costs of an action at Deptford Town Hall in November.

http://www.artbathspa.com/gallerycam/

Apparently Bath Spa's school of Art and Design is also occupied. I'd previously not heard anything about this.

There's a lot of it about...

BBC article about the occupation of the lid dem MP in Birmingham:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-1192886

Twitter info for St Andrews occupation:
http://twitter.com/#!/OccupyStAndrews

"St Andrews #students have occupied Lower Parliament hall in #solidarity with anticuts occupations everywhere!"

"The #student occuption carries on at Parliament hall. We remain cut off from the outside world by Estates. Management are not negotiating"

Interesting article in today's Grondian here I don't agree with several points, but the key points made are sound:

There is nothing intrinsic to being a student that makes them radical. Like everyone else their politics are shaped by time and place. During the 1926 General Strike in Britain students were used as scab labour...... That students and youth in Europe have erupted at this moment, however, should come as no surprise. More than one in five people under the age of 25 in the EU is unemployed. In Spain the figure is 43%; in Greece 30%; in Italy 26%. Meanwhile the principle that education is a public good, to which all are entitled, all contribute, and all benefit through a more competitive economy, is in its death throes.

And on a broader framework he makes a very valid point:

Clearly, how students' resistance to these cuts pans out will have ramifications for successful opposition to the entire austerity programme. That is reason enough to deserve our support. But while students can be the spark for the broader struggles ahead, history tells us that they are unlikely to be the flame itself. Students and the young might be the most likely to protest, but they are among the least likely to vote – if indeed they are even eligible to vote – and cannot withdraw their labour to any devastating effect.... the French students in 1968 bolstered the confidence of factory workers. The threat British students pose – much like the financial crisis bringing them on to the streets – is of contagion. That their energy, enthusiasm, militancy, rage and raucousness might burn in us all.

(My emphasis)

Perhaps even more interesting is the comment which has received the highest 'reccomend' stats (it's sometimes surprising how rabidly right wing the comments on this 'liberal' website are so often applauded):

hong 7 wrote

Well said Gary. And just before the thread gets filled with people howling you down, there's something that needs repeating, and often: Most of these students are not going to be directly affected by the cuts to university funding or the increases in fees. They are protesting on principle, getting off their arses and trying to change something because they believe it is in the best interests of future generations and their society as a whole. For that alone, they should be applauded, and they act as a very real inspiration to us all.

Tate protestors just spotted on Channel 4 news. Large white 'dunce' hats, some being used as impromptu megaphones.

Also someone listing today's new occupations on twitter included Camberwell College. Anyone know anything about that?

Blaargh, double post.

Video from the Tate occupation:
http://yfrog.com/2to1bz

"And that includes the police" !?!?
Art students...

Quite funny watching the announcement of the Turner Prize with the ambient sounds of protest in the background. The art world glitterati all looking slightly nervous.

-stupid internet connection-

Photo from today's protest at the Greek embassy...

...and another ('αλληλεγγυη' means 'solidarity')

.

UCL occupation video
[youtube]MQg_nzvAdL4[/youtube]

.

Article on the UCL occupation from the London Review of Books

The occupation began at a ‘What Next?’ meeting on the day of the second student march when a group of UCL students voted to take over the Jeremy Bentham Room (students at SOAS had gone into occupation two days before). A general meeting was then held to draft their demands. The most important, and most often repeated, is that UCL’s management issue a statement ‘condemning all cuts to higher education’. They also want things they might be able to get: for the university to pay UCL cleaners the London living wage, to bring outsourced support staff in-house and to change the composition of the university council to get rid of the majority of corporate, non-UCL members (they’d like a quarter each of management, students, tutors and support staff)...

.

Statement from the Bristol University occupation

We have occupied the University of Bristol Senate House today. We have done this to protest against, and to open a space of dialogue and critical thinking around, the government-proposed education cuts and changes to the University fee structure. We have occupied this space in a spirit of solidarity with other student occupations and in recognition of the burning need for a new form of participatory democracy within our University and universities in general...

.

St Andrews occupation

We, concerned students of St Andrews University, are occupying this space in a gesture of defiance to the Government’s policy of raising the cap on tuition fees, instigating cuts and to the commercialisation of education in absolutely any form.
We are also protesting the University’s support of these policies, demonstrated by their stance on the Browne report. We demand that the University reverse this stance and stand behind a policy of no front-line teaching staff cuts and no staff cuts whatsoever until the University is held accountable for its actions.
We stand in solidarity with our fellow students and the thousands of talented and intelligent young people whose futures will be destroyed because they cannot afford to purchase an education that for which they shouldn’t have to pay...

.

Student protests: NUS leaders vote not to join forces with march
The Guardian

The executive committee of the National Union of Students voted this afternoon by a large majority not to back a call to join forces with a national demonstration planned by thousands of students on Thursday, the day parliament votes on whether to raise university tuition fees.

In a resolution that will divide the student movement, the NUS executive decided to go ahead with its own candle-lit vigil on the banks of the Thames, rather than join up with the 20,000 students who plan to attend the march to Parliament Square…

Word coming through that both Bradford and Goldsmiths have been occupied...

Photos from Tate occupation

Statement from Camberwell College of Arts occupation

We, the students of Camberwell College of Arts, believe that if the massive cuts proposed for education happen, it is unlikely that academies such as ours will continue to exist. Arts and humanities courses are being targeted with the largest cuts, while still requiring a great deal of funding, which even a rise in fees will not cover. In response, we have decided to occupy the Wilson’s Road building at our college.


We see the arts as occupying a vital place within society, one which benefits us all, both culturally and economically. If arts education ceases to be a viable route for students, that benefit will be lost.

An artless society is a heartless society!

We oppose the transformation of education into a market. Education should be a forum for all publics, not just those who can afford, to learn, experiment and debate.

Therefore, we call for all arts students, especially those from UAL to join this occupation, and call for more arts-led occupation and actions. We propose to use our space for a practice led resistance.  We will run workshops, performances, debates and experiments, creating a collective space of generative discourse. At no point will we disrupt any fellow student’s education, allowing all scheduled lectures to continue. We wish to propose, rather than simply oppose!

Unfortunately I've heard from someone at Camberwell (not at the occupation), and apparently there's only about 10 people there.. but still great to hear the wave of occupations is continuing.

Video from the Greek embassy protest

[youtube]gVSGkPvsvEY[/youtube]

nico:

Video from the Tate occupation:
http://yfrog.com/2to1bz

"And that includes the police" !?!?
Art students...

As the old song goes:
"police and art, police and art
go together like a horse and cart -
this I tell you brother
you can't have one without the other".

And that crap about philistinism in the video... the real philistines are today's culture vultures: how many of them know a thing about the revolutionary search in art up until the mid-1960s?

Art students....

Tommy Ascaso

Apparently the goldsmiths students tried to deny library staff access and are now running the library themselves. 10 staff have got in and have locked themselves in the staff room.

Is there any reason that the occupiers forced the staff out? Their statement seems to be very concerned with the wellbeing of the library staff - seems odd that they'd force them out if they didn't want to go.

Although on the other hand would this be the first of the occupations to 'take over' an academic facility and self-operate it?

https://twitter.com/#!/GSoccupation

The decision was taken to exclude staff on the grounds of maximising disruption. The library was still gnona be open to students and there are machines where you can check your own books out. Staff are being encouraged to extend essay deadlines where applicable and one of the demands is that the Warden guaruntees no redundancies.

Caiman del Barrio

https://twitter.com/#!/GSoccupation

The decision was taken to exclude staff on the grounds of maximising disruption. The library was still gnona be open to students and there are machines where you can check your own books out. Staff are being encouraged to extend essay deadlines where applicable and one of the demands is that the Warden guaruntees no redundancies.

Sounds good, and is a lot more clear now. Sounds like what the Oxford students wanted to do with the Radcliffe (leave the library open, but under occupation), had the police not surrounded the place.

Out of interest, how are you keeping access clear? Seeing as how a lot of the occupations (like Oxford and now St Andrews) end up getting shut in by police or security...

Good luck with the action!

Security were negotiated with and agreed to take up an inactive position by the turnstiles, one of which has been opened. There is talk of opening up the library for public consumption (although books can't be borrowed without a Goldsmiths card and the book alarm by the turnstile is still operational).

Well that's good to hear... from what I understand, Oxford Uni basically locked the place down (there was an absolute army of police outside).

It would probably be good to figure out some tactics that could be used by occupiers to keep access open in situations where university authorities are more antagonistic.

The library staff issue is a very contentious one, there was a long and quite painful debate last night and eventually a decision was made to dein staff access. This is still a live and divisive issue, to be reviewed tonight. Frankly there is a steep learning curve going on and it is pretty messy. The meeting ended at four last night, madness. Then they failed to prevent staff entering this morning who have since been working in the offices at the back. They is a lot of naivety on both sides, the pro library staff being there side, seemed to think that staff will be functioning as usual, this is extremely unlikely and leave Goldsmiths management to liability arises from health and safety issues. so even if staff are allowed in they will just work in the back offices. A lot students are pissed off at the occupiers for 'disrupting' their education. The occupiers are attempting to keep the library running, keep the toilets running etc, but seem surpisingly unprepared. Still things are starting to get sorted and it is an amazing site, if a little too big for the numbers imo. Entertainments are being organised and there is a big emphasis on outreach (although not sure how much that is translating into people taking on tasks nessacary)

This seems ludicrous tome, is there no common ground between the students and library staff, given that staff jobs are at deep risk of being cut? Why not occupy the library spaces and let the staff do their job behind the counter? (Academic library workbeing, of necessity, a specialisation)..Where are the staffs sodding trade union, or is that a stupid question? Btw it's easy to disable a security gate...just find the 'off' switch!

Don't know if this is the correct place for this but Newcastle Civic Centre is currently being occupied. The local council is Lib Dem controlled.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-11941141

Actually Incubus despite library support staff having lost their jobs recently, there isn't really any appetite for struggle at present. As I have mention already in my post it is highly unlikely that Goldsmiths senior management would risk having library staff carry on doing frontline jobs in a space clearly not in their control as would leave them liable under health and safety. Any way we will see as the occupation voted to allow staff access to the building tomorrow. An occupation is essentially about power and control, who imposes their will on a certain terrain. Goldsmiths senior management via its workforce in this case or the democratic will of the occupiers. Disruption is an inevitable part of this and in this particular situation should be one of the aims as it is about stopping business as usual, rupturing the production of knowledge as a commodity. The occupation is in danger of becoming a symbolic stunt, the gesture politics of the 'militant minority as substitute for meaningful action. This political posturing seem to be the limit at which the university occupations are contained at present. The library as the site of the occupation was subject to long discussions prior to occupation and is a source of tension as well as the issue of staff access. It seems its excellent location on the main road, with a big front glass windows over three floors, ample room and resources and a steady supply of students (a captive audience of library users) won the day. But seems that they really hadn't given too much thought to what an occupation is and what it entails, the main concerns simply being alienating other students and then library staff.
Eleanor Davies

The point of an occupation is to close down a space, to disrupt the functioning of an organisation, to stop people from going to work. During the 1980s whenever we occupied students unions, colleges, universities or whatever, we always prevented staff from continuing to work in the occupied... spaces. To allow them to carry on working means that the occupation is not a real occupation.....In my youth we occupied the Highbury & Islington site of North London Poly. We did not want the building to fucntion so we did not allow workers to come in and open the building. We welcomed any worker who wanted to join the occupation.

Royal College of Art has just occupied.

From an earlier thread;[quote=Mike H]Samotnaf

the statement from Slade Art School - defending both the arts and the sciences as they exist in this society, ie as separate specialisms, is crap, and indicative of some aspects of the limits of the perspectives of this movement (ok - it's early days yet, and such a critique could develop but that's not an excuse not to start now).
The fact that this surprising movement is moving and surprising (it's certainly helped to cheer me, and hundreds of thousands). of others, up) shouldn't be a reason for suspending critical faculties when it comes to looking at the function of education as it exists, regardless of how open to the children of the working class or not it is.

Can't remember where I saw it, may have been a UCL Occupation video (the JBR one, not the Slade one), but people are definitely talking about this, there's also a gradual focus towards the university management as well as the government, which has been slightly more to the fore this week.
http://libcom.org/news/november-30th-day-action-against-cuts-fees-30112010?page=3

The critique of education – what role you’re being educated for and why, in what kind of crap society - seems largely absent so far or at least not openly expressed with much significance, especially compared to the 60s/70s movement. There is often an appeal to restoration of a largely mythical social democratic educational ideal. This contains the principle that education should be a freely available resource rather than only accessible as a commodity, but does not contest its content or function as an integral part of an exploitative hierarchical society.

It seems the radical practice of this movement is ahead of its theory – insofar as refusing to play by the rules of democratic politics in the streets but still often framing the ‘legitimacy’ of its demands in social democratic terms.

Mike H

On the other hand most of the refreshing stuff that's not university occupations is from school and college students now, and this is on the fundamental level of "don't fuck with our £30 week EMA", which isn't defending education at all, but the social wage. Not that the whole benefits system (and EMA itself, there's a strong disciplinary aspect to it as borne out by the fact that people skipping lessons to go on protests will lose the whole week's money due to absence/truancy) shouldn't be looked at critically. But it's a different demand, one that the media is consistently ignoring, and much closer to the attacks on benefits that are affecting other groups of workers.

I wonder if this will develop as a movement which sees the diversity of its demands as rooted in the same capitalist offensive or will eventually fragment it into various single issue causes seeking different settlements? The hinted special pleading for the supposed unique contribution of art/culture to the ‘national economy’(!) (typical of the often self-obsessed ‘collective individualism’ of the arts sector) perhaps suggest it for some parts already.

Jason Cortez

The occupation is in danger of becoming a symbolic stunt, the gesture politics of the 'militant minority as substitute for meaningful action. This political posturing seem to be the limit at which the university occupations are contained at present.

Maybe this reflects the fact that existing university students aren't the ones who are going to be affected by the rise in tuition fees or the withdrawal of EMA. In the circumstances it's hard to see that university occupations are going to be anything other than the action of a militant minority, even if the majority of students are supportive (and I don't know whether this is always the case).

There's a difference here with something like the student strike in Puerto Rico where existing students are faced with an additional levy on their fees and have voted in a mass meeting to strike and occupy the campus. Compared to this the occupations here look more like a kind of political theatre. Which doesn't necessarily mean they aren't worthwhile, though there may be questions about what they are trying to achieve.

Sit-ins or occupations by school and college students might be different as they are the ones directly affected. One point here is that from what I can remember of school occupations in Greece they were always the actions of a majority rather than a small minority that might be open to victimisation later. Whether anything similar is possible here, or even whether it's a good idea, I'm not sure.

Red M

Interestingly the critique of education was a subject refered to and discussed at the unkettling education teach in at goldsmiths uni on monday. Though whether this reflects a development that is beginning to be present more broadly or simply the result of the teach in being organised by the anthropology department, I could not say

Mark

Maybe this reflects the fact that existing university students aren't the ones who are going to be affected by the rise in tuition fees or the withdrawal of EMA. In the circumstances it's hard to see that university occupations are going to be anything other than the action of a militant minority, even if the majority of students are supportive.

I think it does reflect this and the relative priveledge that being uni students won't lose their jobs and uni management are fairly lenient to this sort of thing, i.e. a rite of passage etc. Indeed Goldsmiths uses this tradition of radicalism to market itself. To be clear I support the occupation university movement and still think it is possible for it to go beyond its self imposed limit if the occupations continue and external events hot up. The Goldsmiths occupation has been a bit of a mess in many ways, but at the moment lots of ideas are being tested and lessons hopefully learned. Many people have certainly realised the importance of infrastructure, of the practise of occupation is where the politics are truly revealed. I am just a bit frustrated, but we need to be supportive of the occupations so this unfolding of ideas in lived experience can occur. but we also need to be critical of the failures of not learning so the limits can be seen and discussed

ps my militant minority remark was aimed at the fact that people were refering/seeing themselves in this way in unreflective manner.I was not suggesting that being a militant minority was the problem although of course that particular raises issues of its own which can't be ignored either.

I am not sure if people have already seen these, but Reel News have 3 or 4 short occupation films here:

http://www.youtube.com/user/ReelNews

Just to confirm, library staff at Goldsmiths are at their desks working normally as of 8am.

Camden School for Girls (I think I have the right school name) has just occupied.

Tommy Ascaso

How is that impacting the occupation? Would be good if you could write something up when you've had some sleep!

To be honest, so long has been wasted on this issue. I'm sick of discussing it. There is - belatedly - an ongoing dialogue between the library staff and occupiers, and they're still keeping security at a distance. Possibly the worst thing about the decision being overturned is that it now opens the door for the pious as fuck SWP sab (who denounced stopping staff working as "scabbing") to return.

I think people are gonna have to accept that this isn't really an occupation, but a meeting space.

Fair point Jason, thanks. Regarding a critique of education, I wonder if anyone has seen this- Declaration of the national coordination meeting of the student assemblies and occupied universities - Greece 03/12/2010 -

http://ourmediaindymedia.blogspot.com/2010/12/gio-greek-students-declaration.html

I've posted it to OL, as they seemed to have missed it. Was wondering how much, if any, discussion was happening in the UK around the Bologna Accord?

Auto

Camden School for Girls (I think I have the right school name) has just occupied.

BBC report from last week

Camden School for Girls (I think I have the right school name) has just occupied.

Do you have a link. Their website hasn't updated, just says they are having a sit-in and teach-in.

mons

Camden School for Girls (I think I have the right school name) has just occupied.

Do you have a link. Their website hasn't updated, just says they are having a sit-in and teach-in.

To be honest, I think that's what it is (a sit-in/teach in), but they're referring to it as an occupation.

dp

camden sit-in on twitter - 'Didn't realise the school would react like this!'

photo

A slightly bizzarre tweet from the Twitter rumour mill:

"does anyone know about a barricade going up at Camden School for Girls/ Info needed urgently. PLS RT. @UCLoccupation #solidarity"

The Camden School protest has called for immediate support from the NUT, NUS and UCU.

Also hearing word that the RMT has called for full support for the student protests.

Oh and the 'barricade' is apparently referring to the fact that all press and guest speakers are being barred from entering the school.

CWU officially supports the student protests:

http://www.cwu.org/news/archive/cwu-supports-student-protest.html

RMT Statement: http://www.rmt.org.uk/Templates/Internal.asp?NodeID=140996

Birbeck has apparently gone into occupation, as has Exeter, my old university!

The latter surprises me, given the political make-up on campus. Conservative Future were the biggest political society. Says it all really...

Some live coverage about things today.

Sarah Teather's office is occupied apparently. She was looking pretty miserable already when Sky News was following her about from her doorstep today.

And anarchists will be behind trouble tomorrow, shock horror, says the Evening Standard.

flaneur

And anarchists will be behind trouble tomorrow, shock horror, says the Evening Standard.

Of course we are, Flaneur. Did you not get the memo?

Student Christians praise nonviolent tuition fees and cuts protests

http://www.aclandburghley.camden.sch.uk/

Looks like another school is going to be occupied. The school is closing down in response.

EDIT: And in doing so it looks like they've put paid to the occupation. Boo.

According to one twitter post, RMT members are actually going to be present at the student march:

"RMT members will assemble outside Unity House tomorrow @ 11 and will march to the student demo in #solidarity"

I'll see if some more confirmation appears.

"RT @camdensitin: Just heard that both Stoke Newington School and acland burghley school are both in occupation #demo2010 #solidarity"

This message is appearing on Twitter, apparently coming from the Camden occupation.

Yeah that evening standard article is funny. According to them the Wombles are behind these protests.

Just saw this on facebook - it is apparently Euston station. Anyone know about it?

no1

Just saw this on facebook - it is apparently Euston station. Anyone know about it?

https://london.indymedia.org.uk/articles/6393

no1

Just saw this on facebook - it is apparently Euston station. Anyone know about it?

It was the culmination of the UCL's organised 'Teach-Out': a series of public lectures around London (including some on tube trains). It culminated in a massive lecture given in Euston Station (in the pic).

Also, been looking into the Exeter occupation. I was kind of expecting it to be organised by the Socialist Students (as they were the only vaguely left student group around, the Labour Students having collapsed through lack of members) - but it seems like a really diverse, yet solid bunch. Democratic, consensus decision making, everything. Seems to be getting support from some of my friends who aren't renowned for being political too.

Fifty of them are staying overnight, and the initial occupiers apparently contained members of the public, too.

thanks for the info - I was hoping it was the first of a series of blockades

Interview with students from Camden School for Girls on Channel 4 News report

BBC report on school occupations - though I caught a bit of the news on BBC earlier on and it seemed to be in full propaganda mode with none of this mentioned and an interview with a Conservative student explaining why rises in tuition fees were a good idea.

Local press report from Camden

And from the Guardian live coverage...

I'm at Camden School for Girls, where around 50 A-level pupils have occupied the sixth form hall. Teachers, perhaps slightly aggrieved at having not been informed about the protest, are unsurprisingly not allowing press into the school grounds.


In the face of this around 30 pupils walked out of the school to a nearby park to listen to speeches. Gathered around a sandpit shivering as they listened to plans for tomorrow the sight was enough to draw a film crew from Belgium. Pupils I spoke to say around half the sixth form (some 200 of 400 pupils) have entered the occupation this morning, while "nearly all" the pupils are expected to join in tomorrow's march.

Photo

no1

thanks for the info - I was hoping it was the first of a series of blockades

Well it was announced in the Twitterverse with the words: 'Shut down London has begun'... so even if it wasn't a blockade, it seems as though the idea is doing the rounds, at least.

I like the fact that the evening standard has accused Anarchists of agitating for london to be "Shut Down" even tho this phrase is being used by just about everybody on the web including the NCAFC facebook event page.

Live blog of the days events

Glasgow Uni occupied-
"In occupation in the Gilmorehill Theatre, bottom of Uni Avenue since 1pm.

About 100 of us are occupaying 230 capacity room, with numbers increased since freedom of access was granted at 3pm. There are students and staff from Glasgow Uni, Strathclyde, and the Art School.

It's nice and warm so COME ALONG IF YOU CAN!"

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=136567579732280&index=1#!/pages/Glasgow-Uni-Occupied/133691460021139

Kent University has been occupied, around thirty students are planning to stay the night. The university's senate building was occupied after a student union assembly, I've been told by a student at the occupation that the uni security are attempting to lock the occupiers in (even though that would leave them with no exit in the event of a fire), the students are going to try and stop this from happening.

More info soon.

On the Exeter Occupation facebook page, the Deputy Secretary of the Devon NUT messaged the occupiers looking to see if they would be willing to send representatives to speak at their general committee meeting. They say it will be on tomorrow morning's agenda.

Nice to see some of the unions looking to make links, even if only small ones.

Also, a nicely modernised reference to '68 on Twitter:

'Please leave the NUS as clean on leaving it as you would like to find it on entering'.

Camden School for Girls occupier vs. Lib Dem MP Norman Lamb on Channel 4 News (scroll to bottom of page for video)

lincoln uni has been occupied

London Metropolitan which was occupied last Friday (I think)
-Students have taken over the Finance Office, the admin workers having to relocate, and today the popular beat combo 'Albama3' andothers played in front of it (For NME streetcred ratings?)

Video - student protesters plead with police to send medic to injured woman

Edit: video is from last week, story here

A student is filing a complaint with the Independent Police Complaints Commission after she claims she was beaten unconscious with a police baton and was left without access to an ambulance for almost two hours during an anti-fees protest in central London last week.

Tahmeena Bax, a third-year history student at Queen Mary University in east London, said she was hit directly over the head at least three times by a riot officer when police charged a group of kettled protesters on the evening of 30 November.

It seems that the occupiers at Bath Spa were feeling a little down earlier (I think being one of the smaller occupations without much coverage and thus less support). They made a call out and the other occupations (as well as other random people online) swung into action. A lot of the occupations (such as Exeter) spoke to them on skype - for no other reason than they needed cheering up and a little support. The Bath Spa occupiers are now happy and preparing for London tomorrow.

'Solidarity' is a word being bandied around a lot at the moment, but it's one of the most genuinely moving things I've seen from this new student movement.

Mike Harman

No real surprises there, but that's pretty ugly.

fucking minging

The latter surprises me, given the political make-up on campus. Conservative Future were the biggest political society. Says it all really...

.

There's an anarchist reading group at Exeter, who are involved as is the SP, but as far as I could see when I popped in there's no one group in charge.

The SWP / NUT turned up and were leaving just as I arrived.

Unfortunately, there wasn't much going while I was there (they were showing the debate in parliament), but one of us (ICC) was there earlier and said there was a reasonable atmosphere and discussion.

At the meeting earlier this week, I proposed that the students send delegations to local workplaces to dry and draw them into the struggle. This was clapped, but I've seen little evidence of it being taken up seriously. Little acorns ...

Call on facebook for 'March of Resistance to Education Cuts, London 20 December 2010'

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=179218858770566

No idea who, if anyone, is backing this