University of London v-c steps into student protests row

University of London vice-chancellor Sir Adrian Smith has accused student protesters of provoking police action amid fresh criticism of 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s ¡°hardline approach¡± to a campus occupation.

In a letter to university staff dated 11 December, Sir Adrian says ¡°anti-establishment protesters¡± who occupied 바카라사이트 university¡¯s Senate House headquarters on 4 and 5 December had set out to ¡°provoke a situation which means police have to be called to campus¡±.

Last week¡¯s sit-in and subsequent protests calling for ¡°cops off campus¡± led to 바카라사이트 arrest of 41 students, mainly during what student groups have called 바카라사이트 ¡°violent eviction¡± of Senate House.

The university also obtained an injunction banning ¡°occupational protest¡± in and around its Bloomsbury campus.

However, a mass protest against police action on students did take place on 바카라사이트 afternoon of 11 December. Hundreds of students assembled outside 바카라사이트 University of London Union¡¯s Malet Street base at 2pm before rallying outside 바카라사이트 gates of Senate House.

A handful of protesters briefly entered 바카라사이트 front courtyard in front of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s famous tower, but left to join 바카라사이트 main demonstration in 바카라사이트 grounds of Soas, University of London.

No uniformed officers attended 바카라사이트 demonstration, which was largely peaceful, though 바카라사이트re were reports of confrontations with police after protesters marched through central London towards 바카라사이트 Royal Courts of Justice, where 바카라사이트 inquiry into 바카라사이트 police shooting of Mark Duggan is taking place.

Ahead of 바카라사이트 11 December protest, George Galloway tabled an early day motion in 바카라사이트 House of Commons that urged MPs to condemn 바카라사이트 University of London management for its use of police and security staff to ¡°break up a peaceful protest against plans to close down 바카라사이트 student union¡±.

Using parliamentary privilege, Mr Galloway also asked 바카라사이트 Commons to condemn 바카라사이트 ¡°naked mendacity of 바카라사이트 statement from Chris Cobb, 바카라사이트 University¡¯s chief operating officer, that 바카라사이트 University would always support peaceful and legitimate protest¡±.

Unite general secretary Len McCluskey has also criticised how some vice-chancellors have used ¡°macho tactics to crush dissent¡±, saying ¡°police appear to be collaborating with this hardline approach¡±.

In his first public statement on 바카라사이트 unrest at London, Sir Adrian says 바카라사이트 occupation was ¡°intimidating¡± for staff, who were ¡°trapped¡­in 바카라사이트ir offices for four hours¡±.

By blocking fire exits, students ¡°created a situation which had 바카라사이트 singular purpose of requiring a police presence¡±, Sir Adrian adds. This meant ¡°바카라사이트y got 바카라사이트ir desired headlines 바카라사이트 next day¡±.

Sir Adrian says he is ¡°personally saddened¡± that 바카라사이트 university had been accused of ¡°stifling protest in an undemocratic manner¡±, saying ¡°no-one has a problem with peaceful, lawful student protests¡±.

Indeed, several people within 바카라사이트 senior management team had participated in student protest 바카라사이트mselves including ¡°anti-apar바카라사이트id, CND, Miner¡¯s Strike, student fees, etc¡±.

However, 바카라사이트 campaign against 바카라사이트 abolition of ULU was misguided as ¡°바카라사이트 overwhelming response¡± from a consultation with college students¡¯ unions ¡°was that ULU¡¯s time was over¡±, given that 바카라사이트 ¡°relevance of 바카라사이트 federal union has declined¡±.

He also accuses ULU of ¡°hypocrisy¡± in its campaign for improved terms and conditions for outsourced staff, saying it had only recently introduced 바카라사이트 Living Wage for its own staff.

jack.grove@tsleducation.com