The last occupation standing – Kent occupiers lead the way

Yesterday student occupiers at Kent University ended their sit in after a month of occupation, marking the end of this round of national, mass direct action on campuses across Britain.

On leaving the occupation, student Ben Stevenson said “it’s not over, it’s simply the end of the beginning and we will continue pursuing our campaign.” We could not agree more!

Congratulations to all involved in the Kent Occupation – you are an absolute inspiration.

Check out the BBC coverage of how the occupation ended yesterday here.

Below we share a video from before the Christmas holidays of the occupiers pledging to stick it out over the festive break – a goal they impressively achieved, despite the university making life as difficult as possible by cutting off the heating and preventing people from entering and leaving the building.

Justice For Alfie Meadows

Alfie Meadows is a 20-year-old student from Middlesex who attended the tuition fees protest in central London on the 9th of December 2010.

He was beaten on the head with a police truncheon causing bleeding on the brain, as he attempted to leave the police kettle outside Parliament.

The mother of Alfie has described how police officers objected to her son being treated – with brain surgery – at the first hospital he was taken to. Only after the intervention of an ambulance worker did Alfie receive urgent medical treatment for the stroke he suffered after receiving his injury. The ambulance worker said, “If he hadn’t, Alfie would have been transferred and he could have died.”

Alfie has thankfully survived.

The Internal Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has opened an investigation into the case and are appealing for help.

We support all campaigns to bring about justice for Alfie Meadows – those responsible for attacking him must be brought to justice. This should take place alongside a full investigation into the utterly appalling police violence and brutality against young protesters which took place on Thursday – and on student protests earlier this month.

The London Student Assembly Press Conference from Friday 10th December:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mvnz__bTgYA&feature=player_embedded

Teenagers charged by police horses outside Parliament whilst MPs vote away their future

Scenes of disgusting police violence & brutality against protesters played out on the streets outside Parliament in the bitter cold on Thursday. At the same time the Tories rammed through legislation to treble tuition fees - with the decisive support of half of the Lib Dem MPs.

The National Union of Students shamefully refused to organise a national demonstration of the day of the vote and has gone on the condemn the protest of tens of thousands that was organised by ULU and London Region UCU instead. The NUS also has failed to condemn the police brutality and violence against student protesters.

The University College Union (UCU) has issued the following statement about the protest on 9th December:

"The coalition government have won a vote but lost the argument over tuition fees.

Once again the democratic deficit in British society has been revealed as being as wide as ever.

The government that does not have a mandate for cuts and has ministers who were elected on the basis of opposition to tuition fee rises should be ashamed of themselves for ignoring the wishes of the overwhelming majority.

UCU is committed to non-violence but no-one should be shocked at the rage that young people showed at the betrayal of election promises and at their protest against cuts in EMA benefits and the raising of tuition fees.

UCU condemns the brutal attacks on our young people by riot police and calls for a TUC and public inquiry into police tactics.

UCU today reaffirms its wholehearted commitment to continue to defend education for all and calls upon the trade union movement to actively support legitimate forms of student protest."