Students end Cambridge occupation with protest outside governing body meeting

06/12/2010 CAMBRIDGE DEFEND EDUCATION

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PRESS RELEASE:

The Cambridge occupation of Old Schools ended today with a protest by the occupiers and their supporters outside the Pitt Building on Mill Lane, where the governing body of the university met to decide their
stance on tuition fees. The eleven day occupation of Old Schools, the "nerve centre" of Cambridge University, protested against the Con-Dem government's proposed tuition fee increases and cuts to the public sector.

Today's protest was the latest in a series of peaceful demonstrations against fees and cuts in Cambridge, including a full blockade of the Old Schools, a flash occupation of the Guildhall, a protest against
tax avoidance at Topshop, and the forging of ties between various sectors who visited the occupation over the two weeks, including students, 6th-formers, academics, and trade unionists.(1) Sunday's General Assembly brought together over 300 members of the local community, the realisation of the slogan 'this concerns everyone' seen on one of the banners that has decorated the room's walls.

The Old School occupiers and Sunday's General Assembly called on the public to rally against fees and cuts in London on Thursday, when the government will vote on tuition fees. Occupiers have also issued a
call for future general assemblies, through which they hope to bring together members of the community in the form of a directly democratic council, to reclaim a political voice in the creation a space which is truly representative of society.

Alasdair Wells from Corpus Christi College said: "We leave on a high note, following the highly successful General Assembly held here on Sunday where we heard messages of solidarity from teachers, sixth form
students, school children, grandparents, trade unionists, public sector workers, their assessment of the current situation and their views on how to build bridges and grow the anti-cuts movement. We are
committed to bringing this energy forward into future work against education cuts and all cuts to public services."

Elizabeth Morgan from King's College said: "We leave eleven days after we first occupied and do so on our own terms, of our own free will, and not owing to university or police coercion. It has been eleven
intense days of political action and organization, practical skill sharing, theoretical debate, entertainment and practical and emotional solidarity. As today's actions show, this is only the beginning."