Fifty students affiliated with the grassroots movement Oxford Education Campaign occupied the historic Radcliffe Camera at 1.30pm yesterday Wednesday 24th November 2010.

The protestors have aimed to run the 'Rad Cam', which serves as a Bodleian Library reading room, as a free space for mutual education, in resistance to the neoliberalisation of higher education announced by the coalition government.

The occupation of the iconic domed building is an autonomously undertaken part of the “Anti Cuts Carnival” in which 400 people marched from Oxford's Carfax Tower towards the University's administration in the Clarendon Building.

The Oxford Education Campaign's latest move marks its perseverance in the fight back against the proposals outlined by Lord Browne in the review submitted, with the support of Oxford University's ex-chancellor, to the Comprehensive Spending Review.

The O.E.C. has organised non-hierarchically, according to a consensus-based structure, since its inception in early October. On October 29th it facilitated over a thousand students' peaceful protest in response to a cancelled visit by business secretary Vince Cable.

The occupiers are placing a number of demands upon the University, including a call for its formal opposition to the entire packaged of proposed changes to British public education. They are undertaking to protect the books inside the ancient 'Rad Cam' from damage for the duration of their stay. The occupation is intended to last indefinitely.



NOTES
1. The occupation is tweeting at @occupiedoxford, and blogs at  http://occupiedoxford.org
2. The occupiers have also set up a Facebook profile, “Rad Cam”.
3. The Facebook Profile of the “OxfordEducation Campaign” can be found here:  http://bit.ly/9reYzi
4. The Logistics working group of the OEC may be contacted on  oxfordunicuts@gmail.com
5. The Action Support working group of the OEC may be contacted on  oecaction@riseup.net

Contact:
Sophie Lewis
 sophie.anne.lewis@gmail.com
+44(0)7989873549