Sheffield Students Occupy Hicks Building UPDATE
underclassrising.net | 18.03.2009 09:28 | Sheffield
*Sheffield’s Occupation threatened by University management; Big drive
planned for 9am Wednesday*
The occupying students at the University of Sheffield have spent the day
publicising their occupation, and gaining wider popular support from fellow
students. Petitions have been handed round on the university campus,
revealing high levels of support for the occupiers and their demands.
Numerous messages of solidarity have been received by the occupiers from
groups worldwide. Student groups from British Universities, and many
lecturers have also expressed their support for the action.
After submitting their renewed demands to the University the previous
evening, the students awaited the University’s response, hoping to enter
into negotiations and end the occupation as soon as possible. A letter was
delivered to the occupied space from the university management, making clear
that they were unwilling to negotiate with the students over their demands.
The University justified this decision by claiming that the occupation was a
disruption to education; yet the occupiers had made every effort to ensure
that lectures and seminars could go ahead during the occupation, and were
willing to move between lecture theatres to accommodate this. The decision
to disrupt education was clearly that of the university and not of the
occupiers. Indeed, the occupying students successfully communicated with a
member of staff due to lecture in the occupied space, and a two hour
scheduled seminar took place in Hicks lecture theatre five. Emails detailing
the occupiers willingness to accommodate lectures have been sent to all
lecturers due to teach in the occupied space.
In the early evening another letter was presented to the students, this time
from solicitors acting on behalf of the University, threatening the
occupiers with a court injunction ordering them to vacate the premises by
9am Wednesday morning. At this stage the occupiers have no intention of
submitting to these unjustified threats which are based on unreasonable
accusations.
Despite attempts by the University to sabotage the occupation, support for
the action has increased amongst the wider student body. Many students not
already involved in the occupation are planning to descend on the Hicks
Building at 9am Wednesday morning to protest against the University’s harsh
treatment of the occupiers and their unwillingness to negotiate on
demands.
Notes for editors:
- The occupiers can be contacted by emailing
sheffieldoccupation@googlemail.com - The website of the occupation is
http://www.sheffoccupied.blogspot.com - Student occupations have varied in length; some, such as Manchester,
have lasted for weeks whereas others, such as Bradford, have lasted only 24
hours.
- Details of other student occupations can be found by visiting
http://www.occupations.org.uk
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Why Support The Occupation not The Middle Class:
20.03.2009 10:39
Now in its, fourth day, and it seems a weekend is looming, here at
We have said it time again we have no time for The Middle Class, also involved are The Socialist Workers Party The Anarchist Federation, the list goes on, we do not sport the politics of the groups involved, neither do we support The Palestine Campaign we do however understand that such an occupation raises the issue of Palestine, also raise wider issue of how all university are complicit with there involvement with The Israeli State, in a week where
Quote:
Tristan Anderson, a 38, an American citizen, was critically injured on Friday13 3 09 by Israeli troops during protests against Israel’s Wall in the West Bank village of Ni’lin. He was hit in his forehead by a new type of high velocity, extended range teargas projectile, and has been transferred to Tel Hashomer hospital, near Tel Aviv. Tristan is unconscious, anesthetized and artificially respirated, has sustained life-threatening injuries to his brain (as well as to his right eye), and is expected to undergo several operations in the coming days, in addition to the one he underwent today,
along with the continued occupation of Gaza and we need only read today Guardian
Quote:
Striking testimony has emerged from Israeli soldiers involved in the Gaza war in which they describe shooting unarmed civilians, sometimes under orders from their officers.
One soldier described how an Israeli sniper shot dead a Palestinian mother and her two children, adding that fellow troops believed the lives of Palestinians were “very, very less important than the lives of our soldiers”.
This is why we support this occupation, and we would argue the aims and objectives of those involved are weak. For updates on The Occupation of Sheffield goto
Hallam Occupation
- The occupiers can be contacted by emailing
- The website of the occupation is
- Student occupations have varied in length; some, such as Manchester,
have lasted for weeks whereas others, such as Bradford, have lasted only 24
hours.
- Details of other student occupations can be found by visiting
http://underclassrising.net/
e-mail:
http://underclassrising.net/
Homepage:
http://underclassrising.net/