SOAS Occupation in Solidarity with Gaza

[Hocus Eye.]

From the Cambridge occupation post I found out where else there are occupations.

# Leeds Occupation
# Warwick Occupation
# Sussex Occupation
# SOAS Occupation
# Man Met Occupation
# LSE Occupation
# Kings College London Occupation
# Birmingham Occupation
# Occupied Oxford
# Essex Occupation

Good

 

[Udo Erasmus]

More occupations against occupation - this time it's a bbc HQ:
http://www.urban75.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=278042

 

[Udo Erasmus]

Leaked advice to Goldsmiths staff re occupations

A tad excessive? Very focused on "sensitive documents".. wonder what they have to hide!


STUDENT DISRUPTION: GENERAL GUIDANCE FOR STAFF
All staff are asked to read and note the following guidelines, to be implemented in the event of disruption, such as the occupation of College buildings by students.

1 How you should act during the disruption (general):

work normally as far as possible

remain vigilant for extensions to disruption

speak to line manager before dealing with anyone involved in the disruption

check email messages regularly

ensure telephones are attended to, ensure answer phones are operational and checked regularly

lock all offices, and turn off computers, when leaving.



In day-to-day contact, you should, at all times:



treat students and others involved in the disruption with normal courtesy

decline, politely, to enter into argument (whether with those involved in the disruption or those not involved or opposed) over the rights and wrongs of the case

keep College plans confidential - do not divulge information to those NOT involved in the disruption or to staff unconnected with the action

refer all enquiries for information, from staff, students or others, to official announcements

refer all enquiries from the press to the Communications and Publicity Office - present this as an attempt to be helpful

do not take risks but act purposefully and where necessary quickly

if possible, do not allow yourself to be pushed or jostled - if necessary announce clearly what you will be doing and do it

do not attempt your own counter-occupation - if possible secure rooms and leave in an orderly fashion.



2 How to act if disruption is about to take place in your area:



secure all doors

secure all confidential papers in locked cabinets, possibly removing the most sensitive items

close down all computers - if action is not imminent, keep one open for messages.



On receiving the order to vacate accommodation:



close down all computers, lock all cabinets, close all windows

all leave together, most senior officer last

secure all doors.

 

[frogwoman]

 

[Dissident Junk]

Leaked advice to Goldsmiths staff re occupations

A tad excessive? Very focused on "sensitive documents".. wonder what they have to hide!

You don't get it, do you?

If a member of staff was injured by one of these 'occupiers', it would be a serious issue. They could sue the university. Do you realise how hardcore health and safety is these days?

The Uni has to be able to prove, if anything happened, that their guidelines were sufficient to protect the safety of their staff (where I work, entire staircases can be 'shut down' if a stair tread is loose) -- this is why the document is so stern.

Again, there are safety issues about non-university registered members of the public having access to buildings -- particularly in terms of the safety of staff. Because of the open nature of many university buildings, there are ongoing concerns about members of the public coming onto campus and entering buildings where people work. It's a fine line, because buildings need to be open for students (unlike other public and private sector offices), but people do come on to uni campuses, particularly urban based campuses, and create security risks for students and staff.

This is why universities have to be very careful in circumstances like these.

 

[Udo Erasmus]

Queen Mary University has become the latest to occupy:
http://queenmaryoccupation.blogspot.com/

Bradford University has also recently had an occupation

 

[treelover]

Udo, when is the last time, you as a socialist marched or did something about working class issues?

 

[belboid]

i think you'll find most of the gazans are working-class.

or do you just mean the british working-class? why not say so if thats what you mean

(awaits tl's normal accusation of 'bullying' for daring to challenge his piffle)

 

[Udo Erasmus]

Oh dear, Treelover, actually internationalism is very much part of the tradition of the militant working class.

For example, in South Wales where I live, many people in the 30s volunteered to go to Spain to fight in the Spanish Civil War, raised money for the republican cause and had a strong tradition of taking in and helping refugees from Spain and also from the Hungarian uprising in '56.

In the 30s much of this solidarity was spearheaded by the Communist Party who also were at the forefront of movements like the National Unemployed Workers Movement. One can imagine the Treelover's of the time complaining why are you engaging in anti-fascist agitation, why are you doing all this work for spain etc.

Palestine is our Spain, our Vietnam.

As it happens, you will find that I have been involved in many campaigns specifically around the recession, for example, solidarity with workers at the Hoover factory in Merthyr.

Of course, one wishes that there was the kind of militancy of tactics to oppose job cuts as there is to oppose slaughter in Gaza.

But the role of socialists is not to sit around attacking those who are militant over Gaza for not being militant over the recession, but rather to participate in the movement and try and work with the best activists to win them to campaigning over a broader range of issues.

 

[In Bloom]

Palestine is our Spain

Your posts make my brain sad

 

[In Bloom]

Sheffield Hallam University occupied

Students of Sheffield this evening occupied an upper floor lecture theater in Sheffield Hallam University after a meeting on the conflict in Gaza.

With the success of occupations throughout the UK, Sheffield Hallam students and workers from around the city voted to occupy the tenth floor of the Owen building. This is to make practical demands of the university in solidarity with Palestinians and to condemn the actions of the Israeli state.

The following demands were democratically agreed upon:

1) Sheffield Hallam University (SHU) to release a statement of condemnation of the Israeli state’s attacks on Gaza

2) SHU to provide scholarships for Gazan students and waive all current applications and tuition fees for Palestinian students.

3) SHU to twin with the University of Gaza, sending old books, computers and other equipment to the University of Gaza.

4) The ban on flyering and posters on campus to be lifted immediately allowing students to organise and allow free speech, in line with the University's current no-platform policy against fascists.

5) To have posters advertising the details for the Disasters Emergency Committee Gaza Appeal on all notice boards around the university.

6) No victimisation of students or staff supporting the occupation in any form.

We ask people to support our peaceful protest. We welcome messages of solidarity and encourage anyone who wishes to join the occupation to do so.

SHU Occupation blog

 

[Udo Erasmus]

Treelover is gonna be really upset, I've just heard of an occupation at Nottingham University!