tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860863372498073177.post263745605230403265..comments2024-01-11T09:34:06.123-08:00Comments on Stop Fees, Stop Cuts Birmingham University: Forced heavy handed eviction of University of Birmingham occupiersSebastian Egerton-Readhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01008204292209544745noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860863372498073177.post-22254287358684063482011-01-30T05:31:19.593-08:002011-01-30T05:31:19.593-08:00Can anyone forward me details of how to contact th...Can anyone forward me details of how to contact the protesters? I am a final year social work student who is part of a group who are organising a conference to discuss the austerity measures and the impact this will have (and is having) on those we seek to support. <br /><br />At present I am making a short video and desperately would like to include any footage of photos that you have from the amazing protests you have all been a part of. Can you help or anyone help?<br /><br />My email is skb848@bham.ac.ukswanwestmidlandshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14529355943991479903noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860863372498073177.post-19244348480513763822011-01-20T04:52:42.648-08:002011-01-20T04:52:42.648-08:00As a member of staff whose wages are paid by you, ...As a member of staff whose wages are paid by you, the students, I have every sympathy for the outrage caused by the tuition fees rise. The universities' support for the tuition fees hike is an insult to the students and their families.<br /><br />You must continue your protest and keep your voice heared. But please keep as peaceful as possible, and don't radicalise in ways that may damage the very cause you are fighting for. That is in nobody's interest.<br /><br />Good luck!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860863372498073177.post-9795732085107627772011-01-19T07:58:03.934-08:002011-01-19T07:58:03.934-08:00To Nicolas
The instance of your group knocking a ...To Nicolas<br /><br />The instance of your group knocking a member of security staff to the ground, is not the incident that is shown on You Tube but a seperate incident that happened at the start of the day when people were just trying to gain entry to the Aston Webb. I doubt your group intended to hurt that member of staff and may not have realised that they had done so during the heat of the moment. This is the problem though, in the heat of the moment and with adronalin pumping bad things can happen.<br /><br />If the security staff did some of the things that you said, then they do need to be disciplined in some way. I do feel a little sorry for some of the security staff (not ones that physically punch and say very menacing things). These people are probably concerned about any future job cuts and how that may impact on them. So the big boss says stop the occupation, and they don't want to be seen to fail as they will have concerns on how this will impact on their job security. They are also probably not used to having to deal with these types of situtations, most of the time they are just checking that building are locked up at night, checking alarms that go off, and manning the gates. So, their training in this type of security is probably quite slim and errors will be made (though extreme errors are not excusable).<br /><br />Personally, I feel that your group struggle too much when somebody tried to evict you - for me being a peaceful protest means not struggling against anyone that is trying to remove you. I also wouldn't expect anyone I was occupying against to let me in and out of the occupied area. You need to select better locations e.g. ones that have all of the facilities that you may need to use for a few days and have everyone go in at the same time.<br /><br />From the ironic person.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860863372498073177.post-10067537490549066902011-01-19T03:40:09.364-08:002011-01-19T03:40:09.364-08:00Shocking that managers feel they can act this way,...Shocking that managers feel they can act this way, almost more so that police officers do too. Good luck with any charges or complaints you pursue, and solidarity with all of you.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860863372498073177.post-70204711311959626932011-01-19T03:32:28.646-08:002011-01-19T03:32:28.646-08:00@ The person starting "kick them out"
L...@ The person starting "kick them out"<br /><br />Let's not forget that Birmingham Uni has a 25m pound budget surplus - had they handled the occupation in a less heavy handed way, less resources would surely have been expended, but they chose otherwise.<br /><br />In my experience as a student rep, students are very concerned by the degradation of the student experience and the submission of education to the logic of profit. I'm not in Birmingham at the moment, but I suspect many of my fellow students would share my gratitude that a committed team of individuals are acting on our behalf - showing the university that we are not just a passive body with concern for our own comfort and interests, but willing to act for the benefit of society as a whole and the students that will follow us.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860863372498073177.post-29819189692533506242011-01-19T03:09:44.626-08:002011-01-19T03:09:44.626-08:00To the anonymous poster who started his post with ...To the anonymous poster who started his post with "They had been asked to leave":<br />While we realise that under trespass laws we can be removed by the use of reasonable force, I would like to point out that the key word here is "reasonable". Pushing a small lady to the ground then pushing her back down the moment she tries to get back up, followed by a punch to the chest is in no way "reasonable". Neither is trying to drag people out by their necks when the most resistance they are offering consists of holding on to furniture.<br /><br />To the anonymous poster who started by saying "Kick them out!": Every student who had lectures that day left the occupation to attend them. The people left inside were the ones lucky enough to have Mondays off. As for your comment "This money could be spent on lecturers etc" this is exactly what we were protesting about: The money the university is NOT spending on lecturers.<br /><br />To the anonymous poster starting with the words "I find this quite ironic". It is my understanding that the guard who was "knocked [...] to the floor", this was because he was trying to pull a student out and slipped. The student in question had already been pushed to the floor and put in a full nelson, once again doing nothing more than holding his ground. A video of this can be found on YouTube. Who do you think is at fault here? As for the statement that we haven't had "the spirit of peaceful protests", we have performed no violent actions in our occupations: Despite the appauling way security has treated us, we have not raised a finger against them.Nicolas O'Briennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860863372498073177.post-33116990094695768952011-01-19T01:44:34.807-08:002011-01-19T01:44:34.807-08:00I was there and it all happened exactly as describ...I was there and it all happened exactly as described. All of the aggression and violence from the police and security was completely unnecessary - NONE of the students were presenting any kind of physical threat. The simple action of trying to slip a few people in through a door was seemingly enough to trigger the security guards into a bizarre rage, at which point they charged into the students and started grabbing, shoving and throttling them. It was a truly shocking thing to behold. I myself was dragged along the corridor by my throat, simply because I was standing near the door when the students tried to pass through it.<br /><br />I was there as an external guest, invited along to speak at the occupation. I have visited several student occupations and am absolutely outraged at the disgraceful way Birmingham University behaved in this instance. The most sensible strategy - as carried out by other universities - would be to enter into negotiations to allow the students to make their point while keeping the building operating with minimal disruption to other students and staff. Instead, Birmingham University chose to sanction the use of violence against its own students, presumably in an attempt to silence dissent and avoid discussing the fact that it is making staffing cuts whilst still running a £20 million surplus.<br /><br />I would prefer to remain anonymous here, but the student occupiers have my contact details and I am willing to stand as a witness if required.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860863372498073177.post-64873462530992944022011-01-18T17:37:45.872-08:002011-01-18T17:37:45.872-08:00please please please take legal action about this,...please please please take legal action about this, the university security nor the police should be allowed to get away with behaving like this, it's appaling.<br /><br />well done to everyone involved, you're fighting for all of us, even those of us not at uni yet. good on you for keeping up the momentum!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860863372498073177.post-871074967445991822011-01-18T15:02:07.150-08:002011-01-18T15:02:07.150-08:00Those who think the university security did the ri...Those who think the university security did the right thing need to have their heads examined. I suppose it wouldn't matter to them when 'daddy' will drive down in his Aston Martin and write more blank cheques. For the rest of us, this is real life. If you don't agree, then please leave this site.Fighternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860863372498073177.post-85470212976855460412011-01-18T11:31:10.185-08:002011-01-18T11:31:10.185-08:00Keep up the good work guys stand up for your right...Keep up the good work guys stand up for your rights keep it peaceful and they cant brand you as anarchist and agitators, proud of you all.Boldeenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860863372498073177.post-77605677008251449172011-01-18T11:03:05.794-08:002011-01-18T11:03:05.794-08:00quite opposite for the last occupation. We feel th...quite opposite for the last occupation. We feel that they security on the last occupation on 24th of november, was over zealously handling students, some this handling can be seen in this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zS9m5LKr4SQ<br /><br />We don't do as we please we act responsibly using peaceful resistance even when being handled very roughly see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQMdMTMdkJg for example<br /><br />we ask you consider we are just individual students only representing ourselves and that it is the university mangers that are doing as they please without hindrance to criticism and ignoring basic rights of others on most occasions.Sebastian Egerton-Readhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01008204292209544745noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860863372498073177.post-2288611270886083712011-01-18T10:08:52.964-08:002011-01-18T10:08:52.964-08:00I find this quite ironic, since on the day of your...I find this quite ironic, since on the day of your occupation of the Aston Webb your group barged past security and in the process knocked over a member of security staff to the floor, who your group gave no consideration to. Thankfully a student who just wanted to get to a lecture that was in that building went to his aid and felt that your actions were disgusting. <br /><br />I don't think that your group represents most of the students at Birmingham. I do support the fact that you are passionate in your protests and that you keep going against the odds. I also don't think that fees such as these should be introduced. <br /><br />I think that you have to consider your own actions in these events and how you may not have helped yourselves. I've been following your protests and to me they have not always seemed to be in the spirit of peaceful protests. You seem to feel that you have a right to do as you please, yet in your view nobody has the right to object to this - seems a bit immature to me.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860863372498073177.post-6035974487880434872011-01-18T09:56:03.602-08:002011-01-18T09:56:03.602-08:00Appalling behaviour! I've emailed the VC to as...Appalling behaviour! I've emailed the VC to ask him to justify why such force was used by both security and police, why security had to be told to calm down by their seniors and why staff/UCU were prevented from being neutral legal witnesses. Ill let you know if I get a response. Solidarity!Nicknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860863372498073177.post-5754584031687986652011-01-18T09:20:59.370-08:002011-01-18T09:20:59.370-08:00Well the last comment here was so bizarre that it ...Well the last comment here was so bizarre that it doesn't seem possible to reply to it - but let's be air and break down the argument and see if it holds up:<br /><br />premise 1 - students are lucky to attend university (we can agree with that)<br />premise 2 - they didn't attend their lectures or study on their first day back (well, yes this is probably (or broadly) true)<br />premise 3 – (this is because) they are campaigning against cuts to this education system (yes, true again – doing well here)<br />premise 4 - the university is spending money on policing these student protesters (yes, some money)<br />premise 5 – this money could be spent on lectures or university facilities (very true I suppose)<br />premise 6 (unstated) this money SHOULD be spent on lectures . . .<br />conclusion 1 – because it could and should, the fact that it isn’t means that it is a waste of money.<br />Premise 7 – the fact that this money was ‘wasted’ is the fault of students<br />Conclusion 2 – because of this wastage of money, the students should be punished by being expelled <br />Conclusion 3 – This is a terrible argument and you’d have to be a very poor student (or a member of management) to compose it.<br />Good luck Birmingham occupation - we all support you.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860863372498073177.post-57876319409857033082011-01-18T08:45:32.274-08:002011-01-18T08:45:32.274-08:00Kick them out!
First day back at a University tha...Kick them out!<br /><br />First day back at a University that they are lucky to attend and they don't bother studying or going to their lectures. They are campaigning against cuts to education but the money the university does have is being wasted having to 'police' and 'monitor' the acts of these so called 'students'. This money could be spent on lecturers etc, but why bother when you don't bother to use them.<br /><br />Kick them out of the University - the other students don't want them here!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860863372498073177.post-50553241863254913692011-01-18T08:41:06.628-08:002011-01-18T08:41:06.628-08:00They had been asked to leave, and thus were trespa...They had been asked to leave, and thus were trespassing. The police have the right to physically remove people and I am sceptical to the claims made here by the protestors.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860863372498073177.post-56070736801426367242011-01-18T08:40:21.182-08:002011-01-18T08:40:21.182-08:00Is there a way to sign the petition without adding...Is there a way to sign the petition without adding the PermissionSpot app to my FaceBook account? I do not wish to share my gender, friends list, networks, etc. with a 3rd party app.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860863372498073177.post-37311732646781142232011-01-18T08:18:30.772-08:002011-01-18T08:18:30.772-08:00unacceptable that students should be treated in th...unacceptable that students should be treated in this way.parentnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860863372498073177.post-22179312221969539102011-01-18T08:11:42.537-08:002011-01-18T08:11:42.537-08:00Solidarity.Solidarity.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860863372498073177.post-25900708397669718052011-01-18T07:51:53.135-08:002011-01-18T07:51:53.135-08:00As commented above, matters of occupation are civi...As commented above, matters of occupation are civil not criminal law, and the police should only get involved when the University goes to court for an injunction for the students to leave the premises. If an injunction is awarded, the students then loose their right (under the terms of said injunction) to occupy.<br /><br />Short of a breach of the peace, the police should have not got involved. In fact it should never have been their job to get involved with the removal of students, simply to witness that removal was done peacefully. Obviously they have gone totally beyond their remit.<br /><br />Anyone assaulted (although it may be a bit late in the day for this) should take note of police ID numbers (Written on their shoulders) and also the SIA ID numbers of any security staff who became violent. This would have been on the ID cards they HAVE to visibly wear by law. If SIA licence holders act beyond the terms of their licence (as many may well have done here), it could be grounds for suspension from the SIA.<br /><br />In effect Birmingham Uni could find any members of their security team who were involved with the removal of the students suspended from being able to continue working. And birmingham would therefore be left with no security team... that would make occupation easier!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860863372498073177.post-20329582373560076032011-01-18T07:48:24.974-08:002011-01-18T07:48:24.974-08:00Your dedication and bravery are an inspiration. S...Your dedication and bravery are an inspiration. Solidarity!Jack Grahamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12577724856056106531noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860863372498073177.post-56704602529805368872011-01-18T07:32:23.673-08:002011-01-18T07:32:23.673-08:00Really sorry to hear how you've been treated b...Really sorry to hear how you've been treated by the university, security and the police. As someone who has been in occupation, its really angers me to think that this is how universities and the police respond to a peaceful and legitimate demonstration.<br /><br />Solidarity.Tom. M.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860863372498073177.post-75293041660896577972011-01-18T07:25:25.954-08:002011-01-18T07:25:25.954-08:00Shaking with rage as I read this. Cops and securit...Shaking with rage as I read this. Cops and security should NOT get away with this.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860863372498073177.post-79203624478349474762011-01-18T07:04:40.749-08:002011-01-18T07:04:40.749-08:00Solidarity!
Distressing to see that physical repr...Solidarity!<br /><br />Distressing to see that physical repression of non-violent dissent is fast becoming the norm.<br /><br />I'm no legal expert, but surely occupations are a matter of civil, not criminal law. This would mean that police have no authority to participate in an eviction (much less headbutt students!) unless a court order had been granted. You should consult with sympathetic people in your law department, maybe? I think you're likely to have a strong case against the police, at least.<br /><br />No to repression and intimidation! Keep up the struggle!solidarityhttp://ukuncut.org.uk/noreply@blogger.com