Occupation of Exxon Office Building by LSE students
Greg | 05.02.2003 22:36
The occupation was an action within the International Day of Action against War. Around 30 LSE students concerned about the war against Iraq met up at 1pm to develop strategies of how to enter the Exxon Office building. The Exxon Office Builing is direcly neighbouring to LSE campus. One student managed to slip into the building through a side-entrance took the lift down to the recepetion area and then opened the door from inside for all other students to follow. Once inside the group took the lift up to the eleventh floor and staged a sit-in. Police arrived at the scene within 15 minutes and started to evict people about an hour after the occupation had started. At that point there were about 40 police officers present.
Fellow students supported the action by displaying a huge "Boycott Esso" banner in front of the entrance chanting "Exxon, Exxon, BP, Shell - take your war and go to hell!", "No blood for oil" etc..
Shortly after the eviction police forcefully removed all students away from the entrance area, pushing people rather violently. This happened despite the fact, that this area is actually part of the LSE campus.
The group of about 50 LSE Students (30 occupants and 20 supporters) then took the Boycott Esso banner across campus and staged a protest in front of the main Exxon building on Aldwych for about one hour, until police suddenly arrested one LSE student and took her to Charing X Police station, after all attempts failed to stop the police van.
About 20 poeple went down the road to Charing X to stage a 2 hour protest in front of the police station, until police agreed that the arrested student could call a friend's mobile and let her know that she is alright. The arrested was released around 7pm the same day and will have a preliminary hearing at 10:00 am in Bow Street Magistrate Court on charges of "wilfully obstructing the highway". LSE Stop the War Coalition called for a demo leaving LSE this Friday (7th Feb. 2002) at 9:30 am in support of the charged student. No other person was charged that day.
Fellow students supported the action by displaying a huge "Boycott Esso" banner in front of the entrance chanting "Exxon, Exxon, BP, Shell - take your war and go to hell!", "No blood for oil" etc..
Shortly after the eviction police forcefully removed all students away from the entrance area, pushing people rather violently. This happened despite the fact, that this area is actually part of the LSE campus.
The group of about 50 LSE Students (30 occupants and 20 supporters) then took the Boycott Esso banner across campus and staged a protest in front of the main Exxon building on Aldwych for about one hour, until police suddenly arrested one LSE student and took her to Charing X Police station, after all attempts failed to stop the police van.
About 20 poeple went down the road to Charing X to stage a 2 hour protest in front of the police station, until police agreed that the arrested student could call a friend's mobile and let her know that she is alright. The arrested was released around 7pm the same day and will have a preliminary hearing at 10:00 am in Bow Street Magistrate Court on charges of "wilfully obstructing the highway". LSE Stop the War Coalition called for a demo leaving LSE this Friday (7th Feb. 2002) at 9:30 am in support of the charged student. No other person was charged that day.
Greg
Comments
Display the following 2 comments