Stop press: Glasgow uni students evicted, occupy uni main building

[Sam_b]

Just rushed from the scene as unfortunately I cannot stay.

Today, without a court order or any notice, police (approx 75, 3 riot vans) and university security forceably evicted Glasgow University students from a peaceful occupation of the Hetherington Research Club, where for the last 50 days students have created an open place providing student services for campus. This was in protest of more student facilities being shut down; as well as course closures to many departments including nursing, anthropology and modern languages. University security's thug tactics caused five arrests, a dislocated shoulder, concussion and many more injuries (including an asthmatic protestor being denied an inhaler).

After this eviction and a kettling of police vehicles, students marched to the University's Main building and were able to secure access to the fourth floor, outside the Principal's office and senate room (where much of the cuts are being discussed). From approximately 2:30pm this afternoon students have occupied the premises and will not be leaving.

Currently an occupation meeting is being held and demands drafted up - including the calling for the resignation of Principal Anton Muscatelli.

MESSAGES OF SUPPORT CAN BE SENT TO FACEBOOK GROUP 'Glasgow Uni Occupied'

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: http://twitter.com/glasgowoccupied

Any messages can also be PMed to me and passed on to occupiers - unfortunately due to exam and work commitments I can only be in the occupation sporadically.

From one occupation to another! Muscatelli GET OUT, we know what you're all about!

[Sam_b]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-12819114

Glasgow University eviction of students 'heavy handed'

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/51786000/jpg/_51786361_hetheringtonprotestmontage4.jpg Dozens of police and hundreds of protesters were involved in a stand-off
Continue reading the main story (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-12819114?print=true#story_continues_1) Related Stories



Bragg joins in student occupation (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-12514224)
Thousands protest over uni cuts (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-12467789)


An operation to evict student protesters from Glasgow University has been condemned as "heavy handed".
Glasgow Student Representative Council said more than 80 officers, 18 police vehicles and a helicopter had been used during the removal of 15 students.
They occupied the Hetherington Research Club for seven weeks in protest at cuts designed to save £20m by 2014.
The university called police after a protest was staged in response to its own efforts to clear the site.
'Jeopardising plans' A spokesman for the university said: "The university has previously written to the last remaining students occupying the Hetherington Building asking them to bring their protest to a peaceful conclusion.
"Since then, many students have left the occupation. The university has allowed the students to sustain their protest for some seven weeks.
"However, their continuing presence in No 13 University Gardens is now jeopardising plans the university has to refurbish the accommodation and to develop it for academic use."
The operation to remove the remaining students started on Tuesday morning when campus security moved into the occupied Hetherington building.
http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/51789000/jpg/_51789210_studentswindow2.jpg About 20 protesters were occupying the building when police arrived
Police arrived and the situation escalated into a major stand-off involving hundreds of students and dozens of officers.
Supt Nelson Telfer said: "Strathclyde Police was called at 1030 hours this morning by staff at Glasgow University to ask for assistance in dealing with an ongoing protest.
"When officers arrived, we were notified that there were a small number of people inside one of the university buildings, with a crowd of around 20 people outside. This number quickly rose to around 150 throughout the course of the morning and into the early afternoon.
"No arrests were made during the protest, however, as a result of inquiries, one female has been arrested for an alleged obstruction.
"She was taken to the Western Infirmary Hospital after complaining of feeling unwell. No officers were injured during the incident."
Supt Telfer said officers were not called "to evict people or to force our way into any premises".
He described "spontaneous incidents" such as Tuesday's protest as "a massive drain on resources".
http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/51789000/jpg/_51789209_hetheringtonprotesttwo304.jpg Student protesters marched to the main building and held a demonstration
The Hetherington protest was largely cleared by early afternoon but more than 100 students marched to the university quadrangle where they staged a demonstration.
BBC Scotland understands that attempts were also made to occupy part of the main administrative building where the principal's office is based.
The operation to clear the Hetherington Building has attracted strong criticism from the university's main student body.
Tommy Gore, president of the Student Representative Council, described the police presence as "unacceptable".
"Whilst we support the university's goal of turning the previously empty building into learning and teaching space, we cannot, in any way, see the justification for allowing such a disproportionally large amount of police on to our university campus", he said.
"We will ask university management how they thought trying to end the occupation in this manner was sensible and appropriate."

[Sam_b]

http://freehetherington.wordpress.com/2011/03/22/glasgow-university-protest-continues-with-senate-building-occupied-following-free-hetherington-eviction/

A hundred students are currently occupying the senate rooms of Glasgow University in an ongoing protest against the cuts both at the university and nationally.
Earlier today the occupiers were, without warning, forcibly evicted from the Free Hetherington which had been held by students and staff since 1st February, making it the longest running anti cuts student occupation in the UK. Approximately 80 police, canine units and a helicopter were involved in what has been described by witnesses as a heavy handed response to the occupation.
Immediately following the eviction from the building several hundred then marched from the Hetherington to the main Glasgow University building and at 2:15pm entered the Senate building where they currently remain.
Liam, a first year Glasgow University student, says “I was dragged out of the Free Hetherington by three police officers. It was completely disproportionate. All we were doing was protesting against cuts at our university”
For more information please phone Jack on 07913 629769

[Sam_b]

Featuring yours truly...but who? Where?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGh8UcC1cbo&feature=player_profilepage#t=144s

[human strike]

Inspiring shit, comrade. You guys are legends. Keep strong and solidarity from UWE Bristol. :thumbup1:

[Tim Finnegan]

Damn, I wished I'd know this was coming, I'd've turned up. :(

[Rooster]

Damn, I wished I'd know this was coming, I'd've turned up. :(

you can still participate. The students may have lost the building but they're still around some place.

[Sam_b]

Aye, in the senate room where we're occupying!

[Comrade Gwydion]

It's a fucking scandal the media doesn't talk about any of the UK university-occupations at al.

[Rooster]

They've got the building back


We have won the Free Hetherington back! This evening management offered us the Hetherington on condition that we left the senate. Currently those of us who were unable to get into the senate have gone into the hetherington and are checking its all ok. Then we'll all go over there.

Then


The Free Hetherington. Reopened by request of Senior Management!

[Sam_b]

VICTORY! But the struggle continues to save courses and to call for SMG to resign :)

[Admiral Swagmeister G-Funk]

Been following this struggle on facebook. An excellent display of resistance by the occupiers - they are leading the way for the British struggle against cuts and privatizations.

Congratulations to all who held their own against police repression.

[Rooster]

The amount of police there was really ridiculous. Seeing it on the news just made it look like the Iranian embassy siege.

Was there anything damaged or missing?

[Tim Finnegan]

I just got a text from a friend up there, says somebody texted them saying Ken Loach's hanging out at the Heatherington. That true?

[Rooster]

Yeah

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/198933_159532344103717_133691460021139_355619_4347 951_n.jpg

[Tim Finnegan]

Hey, long-dark-hair-girl is the friend I mentioned. Cool.

[Ocean Seal]

Why doesn't this happen in America????????
:crying::crying::crying::crying::crying::crying:

[jbaez]

Why doesn't this happen in America????????
:crying::crying::crying::crying::crying::crying:

There have been some occupations on the UC campuses in the past year or so, though I'm not sure as to how it compares to the current situation in Glasgow.

http://occupyca.wordpress.com/

Best regards to all comrades involved in Glasgow.

[Summerspeaker]

I wish we were engaged in such assertive struggle here at the University of New Mexico. Right now a budget committee meeting has adopted the baffle-them-with-bullshit strategy for dealing with student activism. We might eventually get to speak if we're lucky.