The University is taking an odd attitude towards the protest, threats have been made against those distributing our leaflets which we strongly condemn as being a violation of our right of freedom of speech. They are also attempting to prevent students from entering the occupation, again violating rights of freedom of association and protest. There has however been talk of some progress in our demands. Anyone who can, please come down to the occupation to voice your protest over this treatment which we deem to be massively hypocritical for an institution which claims to stand for critical thinking and freedom. We've also been told that the Union is likely to pass a motion allowing food into the building which is good news. There have also been visits by sympathetic academics and there are currently two police officers outside the doors.
P.S Anyone who can't make it to the occupation please ring or email the vice chancellor voicing your opposition to university tactics and support for the students in occupation. Be polite, but firm. Vice Chancellor: +44 (0)1603 592206 or vc@uea.ac.uk
Sheff Hallam management played the same tactics. Remind them of the law, it scares them that we can do research too!
ReplyDeleteJust keep leafleting, they can't stop you.
In solidarity
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=49231839222#/group.php?gid=49231839222
ReplyDeletehave put this up today, if you want to start inviting poeple?
I spent this morning at UEA, visiting with the students who are occupying part of the Arts Building, and also speaking with and listening to the views of a range of staff, students, administrators and officers of the student union. The senior administrators that I spoke to seem to me to be quite as concerned as we all are to find a successful, peaceful and timely resolution to this occupation - which is much to their credit. I hope very much that the administration will feel able to offer the courageous student-occupiers a real and significant commitment to some of what the students are asking for, and soon. If this happens, I believe that this dispute could be solved very rapidly indeed.
ReplyDeleteLike so many of us, I am very concerned about the dreadful suffering of the people of Gaza. I am also concerned that education at UEA should be able to return to normal as soon as possible. If this occupation yields tangible benefits for the students and the people of Palestine, such as books and computers, or a scholarship, then surely it will have been worthwhile. We need to make it worthwhile - let's do so in a way that makes the inconvenience to UEA students and staff just as short as possible. Nobody wants the studies of UEA students to be negatively affected by this.
Let's work together to talk together and get this sorted, so that UEA students and lecturers can get back into the classrooms; and so that students and lecturers in Gaza can be helped by us to rebuild their shattered universities and shattered lives.