During a peaceful sit-in at Warwick University on 4 December calling for free education, students were attacked by police and security guards using CS spray and drawing a taser. Video footage clearly shows police brutality, with a female protester being dragged across the room by her hair, and another student being put in a headlock and slammed to the floor.

These actions were a disgrace, and the next day students rightly called a protest in response. This was attended by over 1,000 people. Sierra Leonean activist Mohammed Wurie spoke at the demo and brought solidarity from Coventry University student union and Coventry Socialist Students.

After the demonstration around 200 students began an occupation. Dan Crowter, a member of Coventry Socialist Party and Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) local election candidate, read a solidarity statement from Dave Nellist, national chair of TUSC and former Coventry socialist councillor.

Dave said: "I support the right of Warwick students to protest, including peaceful sit-ins and occupations, to regain genuinely free education... The actions of the police on Wednesday may be an aberration - or it may be part of a pattern that believes kettling and heavy handed policing of student protest is ok. Either way a proper and genuine investigation is required. The police need to be democratically accountable to the communities they serve."

We need to organise more mass demonstrations and occupations as part of a wider movement to fight for free education and to change society.

Warwick and Coventry Socialist Students

See www.socialiststudents.org.uk for reports of other occupations and actions for free education

Leeds University: For affordable housing

Housing is a yearly stress for students in Leeds - from who they are going to live with to where they are going to live. The biggest issue is the cost - extortionate rates for sub-standard accommodation. For many, their student loan doesn't even cover rent. They are then forced into part time jobs - mainly on zero-hour contracts.

It is not just private rented housing that is affected by these high costs. University halls in Leeds, on average, cost over £100 a week. Many student loans only cover £90 a week to live on. Therefore if a student can't get a larger loan or be supported by their family, living in halls becomes near impossible to afford.

Leeds University Socialist Students is fighting for a student union-run letting agency. This will mean students will be able to access affordable accommodation that is of a decent standard. York University Socialist Students have already won this demand and the group in Coventry is making great progress.

Maddy Steeds, Leeds Socialist Students

Yorkshire: £10 now! End zero-hour contracts!

On 15 November 30 young trade unionists and students met in Sheffield for a TUC young workers month event on the theme of 'pay, politics and pressure'.

We spoke about building on the huge movement among fast food workers in the US and the stunning victory of the 15 Now campaign in Seattle earlier this year, when a $15 an hour minimum wage was won. Afterwards a Fast Food Rights campaign protest and public meeting were organised which 50 people attended.

Speaking at both events were Ian Hodson, president of the bakers' union BFAWU which initiated Fast Food Rights, and Ian Pattison from Youth Fight for Jobs who reported on his visit to Seattle.

At the meeting, plans were discussed to widen the campaign by visiting new areas in the region and aiming to get other unions to take up the issues of zero-hour contracts and a £10 an hour minimum wage.

We also planned to intensify the campaign by targeting particular employers.

Iain Dalton, Yorks and Humber TUC youth convener (personal capacity)

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Finance appeal

The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.

The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.

The government has now ripped up its 'austerity' mantra and turned to policies that not long ago were denounced as socialist. But after the corona crisis, it will try to make the working class pay for it, by trying to claw back what has been given.

The Socialist Party's material is more vital than ever, so we can continue to report from workers who are fighting for better health and safety measures, against layoffs, for adequate staffing levels, etc.
When the health crisis subsides, we must be ready for the stormy events ahead and the need to arm workers' movements with a socialist programme - one which puts the health and needs of humanity before the profits of a few.

Inevitably, during the crisis we have not been able to sell the Socialist and raise funds in the ways we normally would.

We therefore urgently appeal to all our viewers to donate to our Fighting Fund.