300 students occupy against cuts

Urgent solidarity needed

300 university students and anti-cuts campaigners, including Socialist Student members, have occupied a newly built presige building that is a symbol of the new business model of Manchester University management. This is part of ongoing campaign against big cuts and closures in the university. [The occupation ended at 6pm, (23 April 2008), with an agreement to put a ten point set of demands to the university management – Ed]

There is a Channel M film of the protest/occupation here:

http://www.channelm.co.uk/video_4x3.html?bcpid=1213934526&bctid=1517402038

The occupation has been going on since 4 o’ clock this afternoon, following a large protest. The occupied building, the Arthur Lewis building, epitomises the university authorities spending priorities. Millions of pounds are available for a new prestige building, while courses and staff are cut and students are getting into thousands of pounds of debt because of fees.

Special unit riot police have shut down campus and surrounded the building, they are threatening to physically remove students inside.

The NUS should come out publicly to support these protests, and build solidarity action on other campuses, especially where there are big cuts being proposed as well, such as Sussex University.

Please send text messages of support to 07792 923 069, supporting their action against cuts, closures, privatisation and fees and condemning the police repression of students democratic right to protest.

Please contact Socialist Students for more information, by calling 020 8558 7947 / email [email protected] / fill in our online form here.