St. Andrews Prepares for Another Occupation
Left Society | 31.10.2011 19:08 | Occupy Everywhere | Education | Free Spaces | Social Struggles
St. andrews leads the way in rolling occupations. We urge student activists to adopt our tatic and keep the pressure up.
Below is the email sent out to hundreds of students.
Below is the email sent out to hundreds of students.
At the beginning of this semester the Left Society began organising for a series of rolling occupations to protest the introduction of £36,000 fees for Rest Of UK students. We expected to build on past activism and compliment the activities of other anti-cuts groups on campus. What we didn't expect was a great response and the start of an exciting campaign.
Under the banner of 36 Hours Against 36 Thousand we occupied the Principal's garden almost three weeks ago. With dozens of students camping out and more supporting us throughout the day it was no surprise that we received national media coverage. The STV came and filmed us, the BBC put us up on their website and local press put us in their newspapers. We went to the Student Union to get support and before we could even get up the stairs the sabbaticals (including the President) individually supported the occupation's aims and participants. A week later the Student Representative Council voted to support occupations against the fee hike which consequently means the Student Union officially supports us. During the occupation famous folk-singer Jeffrey Lewis came to perform at the Union; but he came to us before hand and played a song in favour of us. For two mornings we saw Louise Richardson leave her residence and reminded her of this outrageous fee increase. We even had a glow-stick party inbetween all the politics, interviews and snacking.
Our aim is simple: a free education for all. The University is excluding smart, young students from across the UK with this fee increase. Research proves that your University is now the most expensive in Europe with sky-high housing costs, astronomical fees and one greedy Tescos. Students have elected anti-cuts representatives time and time again and signed countless petitions but to no avail. The University management is refusing to listen and that is why we must act.
We're prepared. We have tents, support, comprehensive demands, tweets and bucket loads of humous. We have solidarity from across Scotland from students in occupation and we act with the broader occupy movement in mind. Inspired by Occupy Wall Street and the worldwide occupations we'll act with our bodies to achieve our dreams. The University has declared that no student will face any repercussions for involvement in any occupation.
We only need one more thing and that's you. Come meet us on Wednesday 2nd November at 6 am just outside the Main Library to join us on a short walk to our new outside occupation location. Don't forget a jacket, scarf and some food.
Cancel that new student loan contract and fight the cuts!
The Occupiers
http://standrewsoccupied.wordpress.com/
standrewsoccupy@gmail.com
Raaaaw!
Under the banner of 36 Hours Against 36 Thousand we occupied the Principal's garden almost three weeks ago. With dozens of students camping out and more supporting us throughout the day it was no surprise that we received national media coverage. The STV came and filmed us, the BBC put us up on their website and local press put us in their newspapers. We went to the Student Union to get support and before we could even get up the stairs the sabbaticals (including the President) individually supported the occupation's aims and participants. A week later the Student Representative Council voted to support occupations against the fee hike which consequently means the Student Union officially supports us. During the occupation famous folk-singer Jeffrey Lewis came to perform at the Union; but he came to us before hand and played a song in favour of us. For two mornings we saw Louise Richardson leave her residence and reminded her of this outrageous fee increase. We even had a glow-stick party inbetween all the politics, interviews and snacking.
Our aim is simple: a free education for all. The University is excluding smart, young students from across the UK with this fee increase. Research proves that your University is now the most expensive in Europe with sky-high housing costs, astronomical fees and one greedy Tescos. Students have elected anti-cuts representatives time and time again and signed countless petitions but to no avail. The University management is refusing to listen and that is why we must act.
We're prepared. We have tents, support, comprehensive demands, tweets and bucket loads of humous. We have solidarity from across Scotland from students in occupation and we act with the broader occupy movement in mind. Inspired by Occupy Wall Street and the worldwide occupations we'll act with our bodies to achieve our dreams. The University has declared that no student will face any repercussions for involvement in any occupation.
We only need one more thing and that's you. Come meet us on Wednesday 2nd November at 6 am just outside the Main Library to join us on a short walk to our new outside occupation location. Don't forget a jacket, scarf and some food.
Cancel that new student loan contract and fight the cuts!
The Occupiers
http://standrewsoccupied.wordpress.com/ standrewsoccupy@gmail.com Raaaaw!
Left Society