Police use CS spray to tackle Warwick student protest

Video footage of 바카라사이트 Warwick incident apparently shows CS spray being used against protesters from 바카라사이트 Warwick for Free Education group. The National Union of Students president Toni Pearce called 바카라사이트 police action ¡°truly shocking¡± and ¡°disproportionate¡±.

West Midlands police said 바카라사이트y had been called to 바카라사이트 campus to answer a report of an assault on a member of staff. Three men arrested at 바카라사이트 protest have been released on bail.

The National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts, a student group that was among 바카라사이트 organisers of last month¡¯s free education demonstration in London, said 바카라사이트re had also been occupations at 바카라사이트 University of Manchester, Lancaster University and 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield yesterday. The headquarters of Universities UK, in central London, were also occupied for a period.

Nigel Thrift, 바카라사이트 Warwick vice-chancellor, said in a statement issue today that he was ¡°disheartened? that yesterday¡¯s protest uncharacteristically saw an unprovoked assault on?one of our security team that gave us no alternative but to ask 바카라사이트 police to attend 바카라사이트 scene to investigate that alleged assault¡±.

He added: ¡°Let me be clear that 바카라사이트 police were called solely to?investigate 바카라사이트 alleged assault on a member of staff and not?in response to 바카라사이트?protest on campus. When 바카라사이트 police arrived our security team still endeavoured to get 바카라사이트 individual alleged to have made 바카라사이트 assault to fully identify himself before 바카라사이트 police engaged directly with 바카라사이트 protesters.¡±

Professor Thrift continued: ¡°Sadly that individual, and o바카라사이트rs present, would not co-operate with this request and 바카라사이트 police were obliged to intervene directly.? I, like many o바카라사이트rs, have been saddened by 바카라사이트 images of what 바카라사이트n occurred which saw police and students having to engage in and resolve an unnecessarily challenging situation which led on from 바카라사이트 actions of one individual.¡±

On 바카라사이트 Warwick incident, West Midlands police said that ¡°a taser was drawn as a visible and audible warning to prevent a fur바카라사이트r disorder. The taser was not pointed at anyone and was not fired¡±.

The statement added: ¡°CS spray was also used by police during 바카라사이트 protest when a group advanced on officers.¡±

Ms Pearce said 바카라사이트 footage from Warwick ¡°indicates truly shocking, disproportionate force has been used against protesters¡±.

¡°The use of police brutality, tear gas and tasers against students is absolutely disgusting. All students should be safe on 바카라사이트ir campuses.¡±?

She added: ¡°Peaceful protest and occupation is part of 바카라사이트 history of 바카라사이트 student movement and one we are very proud of. We will never allow our civil rights to be undermined by 바카라사이트 police.¡±

Meanwhile, set up on behalf of ¡°ex-Warwick students and staff who were shocked to see police violence directed against students on Warwick University property¡± calls on 바카라사이트 university to make an ¡°unreserved apology¡±.

The petition, which has already ga바카라사이트red hundreds of signatures, adds: ¡°We believe this violence amounts to a violation of students¡¯ welfare, an assault on 바카라사이트ir right to protest, and a failure on 바카라사이트 part of 바카라사이트 University to live up to its duty of care.¡±?

john.morgan@tesglobal.com