- Crowd of students hound Vice-Chancellor past iconic King's College Chapel
Just three days before the controversial vote in Parliament on tuition fees, the Cambridge occupation of Old Schools ended today with the Vice-Chancellor of the University being pursued by a chanting crowd of students through the centre of Cambridge. (1)
Protesting students were joined by residents and academics outside the Pitt Building on Mill Lane, where the governing body of Cambridge University met to decide their stance on tuition fees. (2)
The protesters met the Vice-Chancellor as he left the Council, and demanded that he make a statement against the ConDem government's proposed cuts to public services and increased tuition fees.
On not receiving a response, 100 students pursued the Vice-Chancellor through Cambridge town centre, demanding that he open a conversation with the student body.
The crowd marched into King's College, past King's College Chapel and to the doors of the Old Schools, where the Vice-Chancellor's office is situated. The students continued to chant 'talk to us' and 'shame on you' throughout the march.
Today's protest was the latest in a series of demonstrations against fees and cuts in Cambridge, including a full blockade of the Old Schools, a flash occupation of the Guildhall, a protest against tax
avoidance at Topshop, and the forging of links between various sectors who visited the occupation over the past two weeks, including students, 6th-formers, academics, and trade unionists.
Elizabeth Morgan from King's College said:
"The Vice-Chancellor and University management have tried to silence our objections to cuts and fees from the start. The University Council has met, and still refuses to stand up to the government's proposed cuts.
"We may have ended our occupation, but this is just the beginning: the Vice-Chancellor will not forget us easily."
ENDS
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(1) The eleven day occupation of Old Schools, the "nerve centre" of
Cambridge University, protested against the Con-Dem government's
proposed tuition fee increases and cuts to the public sector. See
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(2) The University Council discussed tuition fees, government spending
cuts and bursaries. The Council is the Governing Body of the
University, and is comprised of representatives form the Schools,
Colleges, Regency, Student Union and the Vice-Chancellor.
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