At 14:30 today 300 students and staff occupied the Lecture theatre Arts A2 in defiance of the high court injunction placed upon all persons entering or remaining on Sussex Campus and involved in the vaguely defined act of ‘occupational protest’.
The occupation is in protest against the suspension and exclusion of six students involved in the previous occupation of Sussex House calling for their unconditional reinstatement. We, the occupiers, stand in solidarity with all staff and workers facing compulsory redundancy, and all other areas on campus affected by the devestating cuts implemented by management.
We, the occupiers, have unanimously decided to remain until our demands are met. Until they are met this space will be open to all students and workers. We will use it for educational lectures, talks, critical debates, film screenings and to create an environment where the university community can come together to educate one another in an environment determined by us and for us.
We call upon students, workers and the wider community, locally, nationally, globally, to join us in the fight against educational cuts, job losses and the cuts in the public and private sectors. Strike! Occupy! Resist!
GO ON SUSSEX! Keep her lit. Don’t come out till you are all happy to do so..
Because our university is for education and not for profit! here here.
Good one, well proud of all the hard work people have put into this.
Rosa
I really enjoyed today’s protest and I wish the continued occupation good luck. I may even drop in tomorrow.
If nothing else, we are starting to collect small victories now, and I am starting to see an end in sight! Our voices are definitely being heard.
Keep up the good work!
Hi all @ Sussex – big solidarity to all the occupiers! Let’s hope for a quick and total victory!
I continue to admire your principled and dedicated struggle against the proposed cuts to Sussex. After reading the official narration of the events during the occupation, I had become a little anxious that the STC campaign had got out of hand. However, it is now clear to me that this non-violent act was, and still is, being misrepresented by an increasingly questionable management. Their mendacity – this still seems a little unreal – brought squads of riot police onto campus, and their insistence on disbarring six students from the full life of Sussex seems to be part of a deeper disregard for the very students and staff that they ought to be working for. I sincerely hope that your friends are fully reinstated,
Joe.
I am shocked to have found that the official narration of the occupation was, in fact, almost entirely untrue. The mendacity of some members of senior management brought riot police onto campus, and it is presumably only their embaressment at this shameful behaviour that keeps your friends from being fully reinstated.
Their hypocrisy and willingness to defame has led to arrests and hurt, but has also clearly bolstered the energies of a principled and increasingly large chorus of resistance.
Admiringly, Joe.
Well done!
The occupation is an inspiration to all. Nobody at Sussex, student or staff, can fail to believe you have all our best interests at heart.
Please please stick with it. I wish I could be with you!
The mangement know the action taken over the Sussex House occupation was disproportionate and now they know, after the demonstration yesterday, that it was a mistake. I’m sure they just thought this movement would die and go away. You should be proud of your selves. Keep it up!!
James.
u guys are truely inspirational well done. at roehampton we only have a tiny minority of students who are willing to fight for worthy causes. unfortunately the problems at sussex, and at unis around the country, ultimately comes down to government funding cuts that are so short sighted its like the blind the leading the blind. we need a revolution