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Oxford University Occupation Update: Tony Benn visited and more

James | 27.01.2004 02:11 | Oxford

Occupation is staying over night, especially after Tony Benn visited!
Students Opposing the Governments plans to impose Topup fees on higher education have Occupied Oxford University Exam Schools.
The doors are open, all solidarity would be lovely.

Oxford students (including several from Brookes University and Ruskin College) have occupied the University of Oxford's Exam Schools. This is in protest against government plans for University Top UP fees and threats from the University that it might seek to privatise itself if fees are not voted through.

There are currently students staying over night after a meeting at 12am that had over 100 people present (this was counted in a vote)

Tony Benn:
A surprise visit from Tony Benn (who just seemed to be passing) was a warming piece of solidarity and support and students in the occupation warmly welcomed his position that Education should be free and that by opposing Blair on this they were also supporting the causes of Public Hospitals, Pensioners, Asylum seekers, anti-war protesters etc.. as Tony Blair and New Labour are responsible for all of them.
Many present view free education as part of a wider fight against capitalism, discrimination and domination (not just some selfish call for more beer money - all students present will be unaffected by government plans.)
see  http://www.osan.org.uk for information on Oxford Students Activist Network

Later:
There was extensive debate about tactics and actions... as well as some disagreement between anti-authoritarians and Students Union types over process. This however produced a nice compromise and had the added bonus of raising awareness of the issue of autonomy and anti-authoritariansm amongst an unfamiliar audience. It concluded with a declaration of common solidarity and support among all present.

The result is that a delagation will go to London tomorrow to protest at parliament while a teach-in takes place in the Exam schools tomorrow morning, dealing with issues such as civil disobedience, Alternatives to TopUP fees and Future actions - all are welcome.

Students are not stopping lectures taking place tomorrow, although the university has said that they themselves may cancel them. Students are encouraging Lecturers to give their lectures anyway.

The NUS (bless them) have said that they will not support Oxford's direct action... but then didn't they support fee's when Blair first imposed them?! NUS the voice of students?

Further Updates will be posted as decisions are made.

for more see

Story:
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/oxford/2004/01/284388.html

Photos:
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/oxford/2004/01/284390.html

video:
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/oxford/2004/01/284402.html

also see www.Ousu.org.

James

Comments

Hide the following 10 comments

for fucks sake

27.01.2004 11:16

"by opposing Blair on this they were also supporting the causes of Public Hospitals, Pensioners, Asylum seekers, anti-war protesters etc.."
bullshit, if the vote is not won by labour then us working class people will have to foot the bill for your actions - thanks very much (!) And another thing... when was there students out on the street in defence of pensioners, assylm seekers or public hospitals?


"Many present view free education as part of a wider fight against capitalism, discrimination and domination (not just some selfish call for more beer money - all students present will be unaffected by government plans.)"
you have it in one, it is about beer money and whether of not you can afford to keep up one holiday a year after you graduate. After you graduate you will still be offered mortages and loans fo cars - so don't worry your pretty little heads about it.

One last thing, i posted an article about saving the planet from global warming by encouraging people to get money from new deal etc... to get them a mini-wind turbine. My article was removed but this shit is still in, the debate has been had about top-up fees the working class people won the debate and top-up fees are a good thing. I ask for an explanation from the IMCers that got rid of my article.

translator


yeah!

27.01.2004 13:06

Bloody students. I wish I was still young...

Grumpy Old Man


PATHETIC EASILT LED WANKERS (grrr angry)

27.01.2004 13:35

Its at least good to see that students in one of the richest and most elite institutions in Britain will still fight for the good of the common man.

NO! WAIT!

Translator already said it but here it comes again.. Tony Benn shame on you! Mr Benn (he) i have great respect for you and your opinions but on this you are WRONG! When we protest against war its because many lives will be lost and ruined, for capitalist ends! When we support Refugees it is because their lives have already been ruined (usually for capitalist ends), and they need a chance to start again! Pensioners are among the poorest in our country (because of our capitalist system), the ignored, the invisible! Public Hospitals - Capitalist FuckUp!

Top Up Fees - our first opportunity to make future capitalists from wealthy families pay for the privilige of always being better off than us. I dont like Tony Blair - among other things he's creepy and his wife is creepier. I dont like New Treacherous Labour (only they dropped the New, didnt they), bring back Good OLd Labour, the Unions (and therefore the Workers) friend! But just coz we dont like someone, doesnt mean he cant be RIGHT!

Its a shocking state of affairs that the Intellectual Future of our country is so easily led that it will join a fight against top up fees believing that they are joining the 'wider fight' against capitalism, discrimination, domination. NOT THE SAME! NOT THE SAME!

Let me tell you this, foolish students. Your Union decieves you with half truths and downright lies. This is not the fight of the people! This is a fight in favour of the rich not having to pay for their privilige! For Gods Sakes! Dont ANY of you do your research, check your facts, before you join a protest? Maybe some of you were hoping to get laid by some hairy working class activist, so that you look cool to your mates? (yes I watched Strike! last week)

For the students who really DO want to stop top up fees - Its great that you are willing to protest for what you believe. But why not be honest? You are in protest for middle class privilige paid for by the poor classes who have much worthier causes to feed. Not that it would bother you, I dont imagine you look too hard when you're driving through a poor area in your nice cars. Or maybe you avoid driving through so that you dont get carjacked or something.

Immoral it may be - but I find myself hoping that you had an electricity cut and a flood through your glorified pyjama party last night, occupying Oxford University. Thats about as close as you'll ever get to the stress of our lives.

Random


whoa what a crock of shit!!

27.01.2004 17:23

the critics here are saying that working classes have to pay not for toffs to go to uni if the top up fees are not implimented - eh?

the idea is to give as much opportunity as possible for poorer students to take advantage of a university eductation - and this is not achieved by making people pay fees which hit the poorer - or at least create more of a two tier university system - one for the rich and one for the poorer.

as for slaggin off students - well fuck off yourself. they are young, and learning about life, that they stand up for something at all should be applauded. as for not seeing students out supporting refugees of hospital workers well wake up and go on a demo and see who is there! plenty of students.

postgrad


Who Is Worse Then?

27.01.2004 17:34

Which social class is perfect anyway?

It's the working class with their blind consumer lives that support the scum in this world. They are the real wankers, working for exploiting companies, buying expensive shite brands like Nike, complaining all the time and robbing each other. They should get off their dole cushioned arses and change their lives if they're so pissed off.

As for students, how dare they get an education and care about issues when they should be working as cleaners or spending daddy's wages on fast cars. Don't worry though, most of them who do care about issues will grow out of it once they leave, just like most anarchists and politico subversives who fart about for a few years enjoying themselves and trying to look cool, then get a 30 grand plus job and a car, cut their hair and cover up their 'youthful indiscretions', seduced by a stable position in society.

Toffs?

Well didn't you know they run the world by something called divide and rule?

Fucking Rich And Laughing At You Sad Suckers! GROW UP ALL OF YOU!


nice one!

27.01.2004 19:56

ah how i wish i could see it...

nice of tony benn as it is to visit, though, maybe someone should point out to him that those who oppose topup fees aren't necessarily expressing anger at anything else, nor would all of them appreciate him assuming that they were.

pete
mail e-mail: peter.mitchell@lmh.ox.ac.uk


the NUS is undemocratic

27.01.2004 20:44

The NUS are undemocratic - they never took a ballot on their position on top-up fees and even if they did they do not allow college students (people under 18) to vote. The NUS has been totally institutionalised by the state and the middle class.

translator


undemocratic!

28.01.2004 17:30

so who elected you then pal?

-


i am undemocratic

28.01.2004 22:42

The NUS claim to represent students but students under 18 can't vote (even those that can know little of what is going on). I am simply representing myself - i took a majority vote and i won!

translator


tories

29.01.2004 00:56

'If people continue to complain and blame Blair for everything wrong in this country in public they are going to hand the next election to the Tories.'

please...so we only have two options? to acquiesce in the commercialisation of our public services and the illegal invasion of sovereign states, or face 'much much worse'? problematic as it may be we still live in a democracy, and this will only retain any meaning if we refuse to believe that there are only these two options and take back some power for the people that these parties are supposed to represent.

rach


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