Students across the country are holding occupations and sit ins in solidarity with Gaza. SOAS shut down a MOD exhibition on their campus whilst students at LSE declared victory after seven days when the university agreed to all of their demands.
They are followed by others at King's College,Essex, Warwick, Sussex , Birmingham and over 80 Oxford University students have occupied the historic Bodleian building to demand that the university releases a statement condemning the attack on Gaza and cancel the lecture series at Balliol College inaugurated by Israeli war criminal Shimon Peres. There are also early reports of occupations at Manchester Met, Newcastle, Leeds, Cambridge [Pics], Bradford, Queen Mary, Sheffield Hallam, Nottingham, Strathclyde and Manchester universities. Update Wed 28th: The occupations have started to bring in results as both Sussex and Bradfod students have declared "victory" [See Sussex and Bradford declarations] On the other hand, the Cambridge University occupation is under threat of eviction [more] Update Sun 1st Feb: Nottingham occupation violently evicted [more | video] Update 11th Feb: Golsmiths University and the University of East Anglia are occupied.
In Yorkshire, students have occupied a building at Leeds University whilst the Bradford AGM voted to give the university the weekend to comply with demands to support the Palestinians, or expect action on Monday. On Tuesday morning, around 80 students occupied the university boardroom. The students say they "are enraged and horrified by the unspeakable atrocities that have been committed by the Israeli military on the people of Palestine, and ... will not tolerate the complicity of ... institutions of education in this violence."
Regional features: Cambridge | Nottingham | Sheffield
Student for a free palestine - occupations
In Canada Montreal professors and university employees call for a boycott of Israel. saying "We are a group of teachers and employees at Quebec colleges and universities who stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people, and with the people of Gaza who have suffered through the Israeli siege as targets of Israel’s brutal military attack. It will take more than ceasefires to bring a just and lasting peace in Palestine and Israel. We are acting in response to an appeal for support issued January 2, 2009 by the Palestinian Federation of Unions of University Professors and Employees. In the wake of the Israeli bombing of the Islamic University of Gaza, the Federation of Unions has urged academics around the world to support a boycott of Israeli academic institutions."
The Birmingham occupation was ended after just 12 hours when the university and police besieged the occupation. They attempted to cut off water supplies, succeeded in preventing food from being brought in and forced the students to blockade themselves in. The occupiers decided to accept a meeting with the Vice-Chancellor to discuss their demands in exchange for leaving the building.
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Any details on University of Nottingham Occupation
23.01.2009 13:57
Anarchist
Blair was the mastermind behind the Holocaust in Gaza
23.01.2009 14:34
where highly respected Egyptian journalist Muhammad Hasanin Haykal is quoted as saying
"the congregation of European leaders visiting Israel two days before the end of war, was suggested campaigned for, and organized by Tony Blair.
He aimed at giving Israeli officials immunity and personal support before the anticipated war crime investigations begin. "
Blair brought Shimon Peres to the UK for a knighthood to finalise the plans, and to give final proof to the Israeli terrorist leader that Israel had the absolute support of the EU and America for its intended genocide in Gaza.
That the BBC, ITV and other UK broadcasters have just announced that no appeal for assistance in Gaza will be allowed, should come as no surprise whatsoever.Compare this with the so-called Kosovo War.
The university protests and sit-ins within the UK should recognise that the management of these universities stands as one with Blair and his new-nazi movement. We have witnessed a Holocaust in Gaza supported by every leader of the West. We are those 'good' Germans in the 1930s watching with total horror as our nation moves ever closer to absolute evil.
To live so long to see history allow the British to say "we are the nazis" is a sad and sobering realisation. Tony Blair worries not one whit about these protests, any more than he cared about the anti-Iraq-War demonstrations a few years back. He simply ensures that each of his new atrocities comes from a different direction, to prevent protest movements from ever gaining enough traction to become a permanent and growing force.
end the evil
Notts
23.01.2009 19:20
J
The BBC seems to oblivious to the on going situation
24.01.2009 11:21
I didn't find a report that 200 parents and children forcing a school in the North of England to close for the day. But absolutely no mention of pro Gaza protests at a dozen Universities with on going occupations.
I suppose this is due to the BBC's policy of impartial/ balanced reporting, No Hamas rockets no mention of pro Palestine protests. Doesn't anyone have any fireworks left over from Nov 5, firing a symbolic firework with Hamas written on it would surely get them going.
On the other hand they could also report that a few thousand people have occupied Universities around the country, BUT and here's what BBC investigative journalists have exclusively uncovered, 59.575.000 were not involved in the protest and therefore support Israel.
With a large % of that number having a lunch time drink. I started to wonder a few yews ago exactly what constitutes a news story.
Although I loathe Rupert Murdog, I think sometimes SKY is actually better than the BBC, they often report on controversial protests and other events that BBC don't even mention.
I guess it's a case of the least worse but being worse than SKY has got to be a bench mark for how low can you go.
Nimrod
They've moved on
24.01.2009 21:13
When they move on, they move on.
And if you break some glass out of frustration and injustice, they unleash antisocial behaviour laws on you and send you to jail.
Pretty much fucked up right now.
Lollypop
Cardiff too!
25.02.2009 12:16
"I am very pleased to learn about the courageous and honorable actions of the Cardiff University students. These are particularly significant because of the Britain's role in arms sales generally, and it's contribution to the savage onslaught on Gaza and on the occupied territories generally, second only to the decisive role of the United States -- a disgrace for all of us. I hope you have the greatest success in arousing public opinion and bringing these crimes to an end." - Noam Chomsky
Cardiff Students Against War
Homepage:
http://occupiedcardiff.blogspot.com/