UPDATE: Students continue Radcliffe occupation (From Witney Gazette)
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UPDATE: Students continue Radcliffe occupation
8:29am Thursday 25th November 2010 in Education By Jason Collie
SEVENTY students continued to occupy the Radcliffe Camera this morning in their demonstration against higher education reforms.
And a protest spokesman said they would stay at the historic building in the centre of Oxford until the University condemned the Government plans.
Students took over the Radcliffe yesterday afternoon after a demonstration march from Carfax.
They are protesting against Government plans to raise the cap on tiuition fees.
Protest spokesman Musab Younis, a politics student at Wadham College, said security were barring anyone else entering the Radcliffe but police had not attempted to evict the occupiers.
He said: "We are still here and we've had a really good night actually.
"The night was slightly cold but they have turned the heating on now.
"We are planning to stay until the University releases a statement opposing the higher eductation cuts, saying it will not privatise itself and agrees not to raise fees.
"We think occupation is a tried and tested method of protest.
"We have received overwhelming support from the locals."
A day of workshops, talks and teachings were planned now, Mr Younis added.
He said police had taken photographs of people involved in the occupation but had made no attempt to move them on.
Mr Younis said the Government's plans were damaging to future generations. Students would welcome anyone to go to the Radcliffe Camera in Radcliffe Square and debate the issues with them, he added.
Yesterday saw student protests across the country.
Comments(5)
jonny1976
says...
10:25am Thu 25 Nov 10
Ms Fingerpaint
says...
1:22pm Thu 25 Nov 10
What happens - the siege costs the university a bucketload of money (not least in overtime for the poor members of staff who had to stay there all night).
The result - the university gets a big hole in its budget and has to put tuition fees up.
Verdict - FAIL!!!!
Sophia
says...
4:19pm Thu 25 Nov 10
"In breaking news today Nick Clegg said that in view of the occupation of the Radcliffe Camera Oxford by 29 students, 6 girlfriends and 2 blokes they met in the pub, the Government has been forced to back down. 'We know the country cannot carry on if this building is occcupied. The elderly, the sick, the little kiddies, the little puppies and kittens, are too much at risk from this hideous threat. We must admit defeat.' He confirmed that the Government would introduce free ale and cakes for all students and a triumphal march through London for the Heroes of the Radcliffe Camera.
Actually I have a theory of my own. Hearing talk of 'Radcliffe' and 'Camera' a bunch of students somewhat unfamiliar with libraries assumed this was an outing to the new Harry Potter
And now perhaps Mr Plodd would kindly smash their cute little empty little heads in?
h&man
says...
10:10am Fri 26 Nov 10
scholasticus says...
9:55am Thu 25 Nov 10
Having been there yesterday I can state unequivocally that the protest spokesman is deluding himself if he truly thinks (as against what he would like you to think) that the 'locals' - whomever he may mean by that - have given this pointless gesture their overwhelming support. The vast majority of students who spoke to me (perhaps 90% of some 40 or so) were irritated that their work was disrupted, and those - possibly also in the majority - who supported the principle of the protest per se thought that forcibly entering a Library building was a bad move poorly thought through. Oxford deserves better. Perhaps that's one of the issues we should be addressing.
And, to be suitably pedantic (this is Oxford after all), there are half a dozen 'Radcliffe' buldings in the city - this one is known as the Camera.