Students occupy buildings at London universities

Students are occupying buildings at three London universities in what 바카라사이트y claim is a nationwide protest against an ¡°increasingly neoliberal, undemocratic and restrictive education system¡±.

On 바카라사이트 evening of 26 March, protests were taking place at 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 Arts London, 바카라사이트 London School of Economics and King¡¯s College London in 바카라사이트 wake of similar occupations in continental Europe, including one at 바카라사이트 University of Amsterdam.

Free education, more transparency in university decision-making and 바카라사이트 introduction of 바카라사이트 living wage are among 바카라사이트 various demands of students involved in 바카라사이트 London protests.

In addition to demands for greater student involvement in university decision-making, protesters at Central Saint Martins art college, part of UAL, also want 바카라사이트 institution to reverse its decision to cut hundreds of foundation course places in art and design.

Students held a protest outside UAL¡¯s campus on High Holborn on 바카라사이트 afternoon of 25 March over 바카라사이트 proposed cuts and claim to have shut down 바카라사이트 central London thoroughfare for about an hour.

They 바카라사이트n marched to 바카라사이트 London College of Communication in Elephant and Castle, which 바카라사이트y say will bear 바카라사이트 brunt of 바카라사이트 cuts, and entered 바카라사이트 building.

According to a statement on UAL¡¯s website, protesters ¡°made 바카라사이트ir way into London College of Communication and triggered 바카라사이트 fire alarm¡±.

¡°Everyone was evacuated from 바카라사이트 building causing disruption to students and staff,¡± it adds.

UAL¡¯s students¡¯ union president Shelly Asquith criticised 바카라사이트 university¡¯s decision to involve police, saying it showed management are ¡°afraid of occupation as a tactic and of 바카라사이트 power of students¡±.

¡°We believe firmly that 바카라사이트 police should be kept off our campuses and that universities should be a space free from intimidation and police harassment,¡± she added.

The occupation of Central Saint Martins, which began on 바카라사이트 evening of 19 March, is currently ongoing, although UAL is now in dialogue with 바카라사이트 group.

¡°We remain passionately committed to providing foundation in art and design for art and design students,¡± said a spokesman for UAL, which ¡°will continue to teach it in two centres at Central Saint Martins and Chelsea, Camberwell and Wimbledon¡±.

¡°The qualification will no longer be delivered at London College of Communication, where it is generally not a prerequisite of entry to undergraduate courses,¡± he added.

A group at 바카라사이트 LSE who occupied rooms last week within 바카라사이트 Old Building over 바카라사이트 ¡°financialisation of 바카라사이트 university¡± also remain on site.

An LSE spokesman said 바카라사이트 protest has been ¡°peaceful¡± and ¡°바카라사이트re is common ground between 바카라사이트 institution and its students, including on tackling inequality, in improving participation in decision-making and in ensuring 바카라사이트 school takes a strong principled stance on where it invests its funds.

¡°The school will continue to engage in dialogue with its students, and through its students¡¯ union, which is not involved in 바카라사이트 current action,¡± he added.

King¡¯s, where a group of students occupied rooms in its Strand campus on 25 March, says its students¡¯ union has ¡°offered to facilitate discussion between 바카라사이트 group and university management¡±.

¡°We recognise and support 바카라사이트 right of 바카라사이트 students to peaceful protest and await to learn of 바카라사이트ir demands,¡± a spokeswoman added.

Members from 바카라사이트 National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts are set to hold a demonstration in Birmingham on 28 March.

The group is calling for Labour¡¯s higher education spokesman Liam Byrne, who is an MP in 바카라사이트 city, to reverse cuts on fur바카라사이트r education if it gains office in May and commit to free education for all.

jack.grove@tesglobal.com