A statement from the ULU sabbatical officers

Police today invaded the University of London Union building on Malet Street, assaulted a number of student activists, and arrested someone – all on the orders of the University of London. University staff asked police to intervene after they allegedly saw someone chalking on University property.

Campaigners were protesting to highlight the fact that the University of London does not pay its outsourced staff holiday pay, sick pay or pensions. If there are “crimes” on campus, it is the fact that many of the people who clean our buildings and cater our events cannot properly take days off when they get sick, have inadequate time to visit their relatives, and work significant periods of their lives with no prospect of a decent pension.

Chalk can be washed off – that is the whole point of chalk. Universities are supposed to be academic communities. They are supposed to be places in which the freedom to dissent is enshrined, and in which the community can collectively and critically exist. In this case, University managers and the police worked together to attack this. If calling the police is an attempt to intimidate the 3 Cosas Campaign, it will not work.

The actions of both the police and the University today were a disgrace. The University must issue an apology, and intervene with the authorities to prevent charges being brought.

If you want to support the 3 Cosas Campaign, assemble at 1pm at Senate House tomorrow to keep up the pressure on the University. (facebook event:  https://www.facebook.com/events/471828312901861/?fref=ts)

If you have opinions or witness statements, please email them to one of us:

Michael Chessum, ULU President –  Michael.chessum@ulu.lon.ac.uk
Daniel Cooper, ULU Vice President –  Daniel.cooper@ulu.lon.ac.uk
Susuana Antubum, ULU Women’s Officer –  Susuana.antubum@ulu.lon.ac.uk


A photograph was taken at 14:13 today of the alleged site of the chalking. The chalk had already been washed off. Video footage of incidents will be posted in due course.

Support the cleaners and other outsourced workers at the University of London in this protest, which constitutes Week 6 of the SUMMER OF ACTION. Your support is crucial in helping the outsourced workers communicate to the University of London management that this campaign will continue and the pressure will increase until we have established humane working conditions for all workers at the University.

13:00 until 14:30
Senate House
Malet St WC1E 7HU

Even more important given that the University called the police on an activist today for allegedly chalking slogans in support of the 3 Cosas campaign.