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We have received news from students at Glasgow University of an
attempt by police to put an end to the 7-week long occupation of the
Hetherington Club by the forcible removal of the students.
Among the
students demands were for an end to course closures at the university
and for the university to oppose the measures of the coalition
government. More than 100 police officers appeared on campus yesterday,
March 22nd, along with police helicopters and riot vans in a clear
attempt to intimidate the student population and to demoralise the wider
youth movement through a show of physical force. It seems that the
polices efforts have, however, been unsuccessful. A more extensive report of events at Glasgow Uni will feature on this website later in the week.
Photo by Jack Donaghy
Last
night around 500 Glasgow students responded to the violent actions of
the police by descending on Senate House and re-occupying the building,
putting the police back to square one and giving an enormous boost to
the anti-cuts movement.
Earlier in the day it has been reported that several occupiers had
been arrested during the attack on the occupation, only to be
"de-arrested" later, as a means of intimidation. Among their number were
school students, including members of the Glasgow School Student Union
(GSSU), who were trying to defend the occupation in solidarity with the
university students.
One of the members of the GSSU, Aiden Turner, was again arrested at
his home at 8am this morning and taken into custody. It is rumoured that
he is being charged with assaulting a police officer, which according
to Ewan Gibbs of the Glasgow University Left Society, is false and that
no students had laid a finger on the police.
Photo by Jack Donaghy
Friends of Aiden are asking supporters to show solidarity with Aiden
by phoning Steward Street Police Station on 0141 532 3000; enquire after
his health and ask for the reasons behind Aiden's arrest.
The rally of the students on Tuesday night shows the reserve of
support the occupation and it's demands have, and the wave of revulsion
against the heavy-handed tactics of the police. One hundred academic
staff from the university have signed a letter in support of the
students, condeming the police's beahvious as "excessive and
unnecessary".
Tomorrow,
March 24th, there will be a rally in George square in Glasgow in
support of the UCU lecturers on strike and in defence of the Glasgow Uni
occupation.
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