Strathclyde University Occupied by Students
February 4th, 2009 § 45 Comments
Students at the Strathclyde University in Glasgow, Scotland have occupied the main administration building (McCance) in solidarity with the people of Gaza, and with other students who have taken similar action in Universities across Britain. The occupation followed a ‘march for Gaza’, and despite the ugly and heavy handed attempts by the University security to break up the march the students refused to leave the McCance building and have presented an agreed list of demands to the University authorities.
UPDATE: The University has called in the police. Please express your support by publiczing this widely. Also call the protesting students on: 0759 5626057 or 07989 796 280
A movement has been sweeping across Britain in protest at the the Israeli state’s massacre and the complicity of our government and university. This demonstration builds on the victories across the U.K and beyond in opposing murder in Gaza and all those who support it. The demands which are presently being delivered to the University principal are:
1) Cancel the contract with Eden Springs (an Israeli water company that is the University’s main supplier).
2) Divestment from the arms manufacturer BAE systems and invesigate alternative sources of funding for the Engineering Department.
3) Issue a statement condemning the Israeli states recent massacre of Gaza.
4) Fund and facilitate 50 scholarships for Palestinian students at Strathclyde University.
5) Solidarity with the Islamic University of Gaza: write a letter of support; twin Strathclyde with the university, and aid in its rebuilding.
6) Condemn the BBC for not showing the DEC appeal; show the appeal in lecture theatres and organise a fundraising day on campus.
7) Oppose Israeli academics who promote military research at Strathclyde University
Keep it up! Just make sure you are inclusive and minimise disruption. This will make you more effective. Record everything and make at least one attempt to engage with management. In solidarity: the students of the occupaition at Nottingham.
[...] see Pulse Media for a report on the [...]
Well done!!
Get in touch if you need to. Be strong and determined comrades!!
Yours in solidarity
Sheff Hallam Free Gaza Movement
Well done. stay strong and dont take any crap from anybody.
the universities are learning from each other so look to nottingham and all other occupations and learn their lessons
We’ll hopefully send someone down, just as soon as we work out where the hell strathclyde is.
Strength and solidarity
Sam
Cambridge Gaza Solidarity
I disagree; if you’re in an administrative building, rather than one used by students (which is how it sounds to me from the report) then you should be aiming to cause *maximum* disruption, because this can be targetted at the University itself, not the other students.
That way you put as much pressure as possible on them to agree to the demands. How else can one hope to be ‘effective’?
Hope you’ve managed to see off the police.
Keep up the good work :)
Hi. I just read your comment on the blog- had no idea that you guys had gone in to occupation. I’ve emailed this to the QM e-mail add to add on out blog. If you wanto tell us anything else, you can e-mail QM Occupation at qmoccupation@gmail.com, or phone me. I justvtried ringing you!!!! You have all our support!
Full support to the few that awake the SLEEPING BIG MASS.The university buildings should be an asyloum for free expression as it happens in Greece.
Keep it up guys and RECORD EVERYTHING!
good luck!
[...] February 4, 2009 · No Comments For a report see here. [...]
Excellent work guys, keep it up!
hi guys! Great job for the Occupation, even though you may not have got any concessions, you inspired thousands of students at your own University, and raised awareness. Don’t give up: set up a group for the Palestinian cause.
Hi guys! Well done. Though you may not have got any concessions, you still bought awareness to the issue not only at your University but on a national level. You’ve also inspired a generation of students who will no longer reamin politically inactive. Keep in touch with us, because though we’ve finished our Occupation, we’re still working for the cause.
La lucha continua pero vitoria es certa!!
What you are doing is wonderful!!
Comrades!
Solidarity from the heart of Jerusalem! Progressive voices are getting stronger in Israel and your actions lift our spirits against the zionist machine!
Be strong, hold on and all power to you!
Thomas
Solidarity with your occupation. And good luck. I hope you’re in contact with the numerous other occupations to learn their lessons.
Wonderful. So proud of our Scottish students. Keep it up!
Yaaaaaaaay!Full respect to you all. Thank you.
Thanks so much to everyone for their messages of support – it means a lot. Join the facebook group: http://www.tinyurl.com/occupationstrathclyde
There are currently about fifty students here…
We are on Richmond Street in Glasgow – and need YOUR support!
In solidarity
Keep the good work up we need more actions like this
http://www.gphrc.org
There are about fifty of us inside right now (with laptops!) (February 4th, 11pm). See more and join the Facebook group at http://www.tinyurl.com/occupationstrathclyde and please show support to keep up morale.
Please forward to press and your contacts.
In solidarity,
Lucy
[...] More: http://pulsemedia.org/2009/02/04/strathclyde-university-occupied-by-students/ [...]
Well done comrades. Good luck to you all.
Solidarity
(Leeds Uni pseudo occupier)
Well done, keep it up!!
[...] http://pulsemedia.org/2009/02/04/strathclyde-university-occupied-by-students/ [...]
Dear friends,
Around thirty of us remain in the occupation of the McCance building and are hoping for YOUR support, in whatever form that may be. Please come to the McCance building at any point you’re free – we have taken the entire Registry. Join the rally from 11am, or come earlier and join the occupation.
Find our Facebook group at tinyurl.com/occupationstrathclyde
Best
Lucy
The occupation: STARTED WEDNESDAY 4TH FEBRUARY, 2009, 2.30pm.
We demand:
-Cancel the contract with Eden Springs
-Divest of arms manufacturer BAE Systems and find
alternative funding for the engineering department
-The SU board must issue a statement condemning Israel’s bombing of Gaza
-Pay for a facilitate 50 scholarships for Palestinian students
-Show solidarity with the Islamic University of Gaza. Write a letter of support, twin SU with the university and send money to help rebuild it
-Condemn the BBC for refusing to broadcast the DEC appeal for Gaza, show the appeal in lecture theatres and hold a fundraising day
-Oppose Israeli academics who promote military research at SU
We have had two meetings with the Vice Principal, both of which were fruitless – so we are staying here until we get some concrete promises re the above.
Very proud of you young people for standing with your Palestinian brothers and sisters. Keep going
dundee uni islamic society are in full support.
dont give up the fight, they will concede cos they know its right.
we in collboration with other socities have managed to get dundee uni to divest after a protest on fri. today we are holding 2 mtotions at the union.
shame i was looking forward to a sit in
[...] Strathclyde has one demand which stands out – singling out Israeli academics: “Oppose Israeli academics [...]
I am so moved by this effort. You have my support. I will be happy to help in any fundraiser at Strathclyde (my uni) and I’m sure I know others who will help too.
Its been a long time coming. I wish you all the best
Nic Lyon LLB Strathclyde
Two sides to every story. What an embarrassing protest.
0.2% of the student body turn out in protest and it’s viewed as a success?
Well done, all of you. People all over the UK support what you’re doing – change will come. Greetings from the Bradford area.
Where can we find updates on the rally and occupation guys? Stay strong. You are few, but you are interesting and inspiring masses. You are using your voice and making it heard. And you are spaking for those who are being silenced.
There are a lot more of us there in spirit even if we can’t be there in person. Keep up the great work, very important for keeping the issues in the media spotlight.
All the world marched for Gaza, and all the world is behind you
http://www.squidoo.com/The-Demonstrations-on-Gaza
Well done guys! This is what we need! I know that some of the demands have been met, which are:
“1. We will not place any further orders with Eden Springs for operational reasons.
2. Funds for 1-3 scholarships.
3. Co-operation between students and management in posting Gaza Appeal on campus. Link on Uni website advertising Gaza Appeal.
Also to the person saying 0.2% of the student body, well it’s made a difference nevertheless hasn’t it?
http://pulsemedia.org/2009/02/05/strathclyde-student-occupation-in-pictures/
4. Press Release reiterating Strathclyde Uni longstanding relationship with the University of Gaza.”
Congratulations, keeping Gaza in the headlines needs full time commitment, you guys do it the best, keep it up.
Anna, don’t worry about the detractors, they’ve probably never done anything moral in their lives. Congratulations, on the awesome results. Very inspiring! :)
Just back from the Dundee Uni Emergency General Meeting- overwhelming votes against BAE and Eden Springs. As for the liberal whine above about “two sides to every story”- yeah! a wrong side and a right side! Gerroff the phoney fence- to refuse to condemn injustice is to side with the unjust.
Venceremos!
percentage of students turning out may be low in relation to total student population, but shame on those 98% who sit on their assess and do nothing when there is such injustice sanctioned by our government. This is the 98% who will bleat when the world laments of the Palestinian the way the world now bleats about the American Indian. I bet only 2% of the population condemned the policies and activities of the authorities when they were massacred and ethnically cleansed of the priaries and pushed into “reservations!. Well done and solidarity with the students of conscience.
viva palestina!
I know I am a twat, but have any of you stopped and thought about why the Israeli’s started their offensive against Hamas in the first place?
Student bastards
I have thought about why Israel started their offensive against Hamas. Their rocket attacks killed 4 israelis, any loss of life is regrettable. The response to this has been a massacre. Around 400 children killed. UN reports of 80,000 homeless. Do not tell me this is somehow justified.
This is not an offensive against Hamas – it is a crime against humanity.
I have thought about why Israel started their offensive against Hamas. Their rocket attacks killed 4 israelis, any loss of life is regrettable
Actually that is untrue. The war was started by Isarel on November 4, when it broke the 6 month truce by killing 6 Palestinians. Hamas still offered an extention of the truce, provided the siege was lifted. Israel refused. That is when the rockets started.
The actual number of Israeli civilians killed is 3. And the number of dead Paelstinians is more than 1300. I’m afraid good intentions don’t make facts irrelevant.
May God bless all of you, thankyou for everything you are doing, do not give up and do not feel you are alone! We all love you and you give hope to so many more.
If you need any help from MPACUK.org just ask!
[...] For a report on Strathcylde see here. [...]