At least five Sussex University students have been indefinitely suspended following the peaceful occupation of Sussex House, the main university administration building, on Wednesday 3rd March.

The Vice-Chancellor has overruled the normal disciplinary procedure and suspended the students before presenting them with any evidence of their alleged offences or giving them any opportunity to make their case. The students have been barred from entering campus and their access to computer facilities withdrawn.

This follows the heavy-handed response to the protest by police, who beat back students using dogs, batons and CS spray at the behest of University management

These are completely disproportionate attempts to silence peaceful protest on campus.

The University of Sussex students – dubbed “The Sussex Six” – could now face expulsion after more than 50 protesters stormed Sussex House, at the Falmer campus, on Wednesday.

But the university’s “hardline” response to the demonstration against plans to cut 115 jobs has been slammed by critics who warned it would only inflame the situation.

The university was granted a High Court injunction banning people from “entering” or “remaining” on campus without the university’s prior written consent.


Petition against student suspensions: defendsussex.wordpress.com