Millbank Occupied as 50,000 Protest Education Cuts
Published:
November 10, 2010 12:00
by
imclondon
Neighbourhoods: millbank parliament_square
Published by group:
Imc London Features
A massive protest of 50,000 students marched against education cuts in a national DEMOLITION demonstration called by UCU and NUS. Report and pics [1 | 2 | 3] Videos [1 | 2] The Tory HQ building at 30 Millbank was occupied and protesters took the roof saying:
"We oppose all cuts and we stand in solidarity with public sector workers, and all poor, disabled, elderly and working people. [...] This is only the beginning of the resistance to the destruction of our education system and public services." read in full
Later Parliament Square was occupied (again) by the Open University. The campaign against fees and cuts is calling for people to sign a statement of solidarity with the arrested students and an anti-repression blog has been set up [more] A statement congratulating the anti-cuts demonstrators has also been signed by hundreds of academics and university workers and a petition to stand with protesters against victimisation can be signed online.
Latest News: A National Walkout Against Fees and Cuts has been called for Wednesday 24th November.
Full feature | demo2010 wire | Tumblewire. Voices from the movements [1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5] and what the mainstream says [1 | 2 | 3]
No Option Left But Action...
Start of march
Sit down outside Parliament
Initial move into 30 Millbank
Other links: Liveblog archive | #demo2010 twitter | demo2010 website | Flickr pics
Earlier: 13.00: Reports currently say there are between 20-30,000 protesting. Crowd barriers in Whitehall have been pulled down and an apparent smoke cannister let off near parliament, with one arrest reported.
At 14.15 30 Millbank Tory HQ is occupied. Windows smashed. Riot police deployed, at least 2000 protestors at Millbank. 14.40: Protestors take roof:
"We oppose all cuts and we stand in solidarity with public sector workers, and all poor, disabled, elderly and working people. We are occupying the roof in opposition to the marketisation of education pushed through by the coalition government, and the system they are pushing through of helping the rich and attacking the poor. We call for direct action to oppose these cuts. This is only the beginning of the resistance to the destruction of our education system and public services."
By 5pm after clashes with riot police around 800 protestors remain with many leaving after an announcent. Later reports of police moving in to make arrests.
Additions
what is going on
Published: November 10, 2010 18:51
by
with the people
they got arrested. How many they are? As a movement against the cuts we have to show our solidarity
two interesting articles on today
Published: November 10, 2010 20:47
by
reader
Student protest: we are all in this together
The occupation of Conservative party HQ is about so much more than fees. At last the country is beginning to fight back
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/nov/10/student-protests-conservative-party-hq-occupation
"Usually, I’d say that smashing windows achieves nothing, that all it does is contribute to negative images of militant and radical protest. I don’t have a problem with it per se, it’s just property after all. As long as people aren’t harmed by action I don’t care. Rather, I simply object to it on the grounds that it turns people off. But today I feel differently. It’s just some fucking windows in the way of an occupation that takes the fight directly to the Tories. Fuck it. A few smashed windows pale in comparison to the thousands of futures which have been smashed by the coalition government.***
*** I understand there were a few instances of things being thrown from the roof at people. Obviously this is unacceptable.
Fight the media. Be the media.
http://jamiepotter.wordpress.com/2010/11/10/student-protests-against-tuition-fees/
Same in Ireland last wednesday!
Published: November 10, 2010 20:53
by
dejavu student risings
One week ago a very similar thing happened in Dublin:
Students Occupy Department Of Finance
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/98070
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/98095
Upwards of 25,000 students from across Ireland descended onto the streets of Dublin on Wednesday 3rd November, 2,000 students broke off and occupied the Department of Finance.
Millbank videos
Published: November 10, 2010 21:35
by
vids
http://www.flickr.com/photos/asifkhan/5163666447/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/asifkhan/5163734529/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/asifkhan/5163735335/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/asifkhan/5163738785/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/asifkhan/5163740265/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/asifkhan/5164443752/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/asifkhan/5163882289/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/asifkhan/5164551874/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/asifkhan/5163977759/
Right to Work statement
Published: November 10, 2010 21:36
by
R2W
Right to Work statement on the Fees Demo protest
The Tories, the Liberal Democrats and their right wing allies in the media want to price working class (and many middle class) students out going to university, they cut the £30 a week paid to the poorest FE students, and then cry horror when a few windows get broken by student protesters.
These people think nothing of destroying our lives and futures through cuts and job losses. Yet they are surprised when anger bursts onto the streets.
Their hypocritical response betrays nervousness. Today's demonstration was double all estimates and the biggest student protest in decades.
In every college it must be followed up by building united resistance to cuts and Con-Dem austerity.
CH4 Chief Correspondent: "C'est n'est tu'un debut"
Published: November 10, 2010 21:42
by
students arise! workers join us!
CH4 Chief Correspondent Alex Thomson blogs from the wrecked lobby at Millbank Tower:
One curious fact though today, I spoke to three different policemen in very different areas, all of whom said there would be a lot more of this and expressed considerable sympathy with what happened here today.
That sentiment echoed too by a 54-year-old office manager of a charity, who looked at the damage here and said that phrase we have heard so much today: "this is only the beginning".
These students of course will not remember, and nor can I, the events of May '68 in Paris and the student slogan then: "C'est n'est tu'un debut" - this is only a start.
Read More at:
http://www.channel4.com/news/student-fees-march-erupts-into-day-of-violence
"the NUS lobby wasn't enough for us"
Published: November 10, 2010 21:46
by
anarchist voodoo
Student protest: the NUS lobby wasn't enough for us
The idea that anarchists were behind the occupation of Tory HQ is wrong. This was the action of students radicalised by cuts.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/nov/10/student-protests-nus-lobby-anarchists
Interesting reads on DEMOLITION demo2010
Published: November 11, 2010 01:39
by
anticuts
http://www.redpepper.org.uk/Student-demo-lition
http://www.whirledpeas.eu/2010/11/10/after-the-demolition/
http://brightgreenscotland.org/index.php/2010/11/anger-of-a-doomed-youth/
http://zetkin.net/some-thoughts-on-the-nus-demo/
http://anticuts.com/2010/11/10/50000-students-march-against-fees-and-cuts/
We fully support direct action
Published: November 11, 2010 14:34
by
greens
“This is the expression of a generation at the end of its tether” – Young Greens
The Young Greens, the youth and student branch of the Green Party have today commented on the student protests in London.
Sam Coates, co-chair was at Millbank yesterday, he said:
“The anger at yesterday’s protests was remarkable, especially towards the Lib Dems who have left so many students feeling betrayed and unsure where to turn next. Students have begun the fight against the Coalition’s dangerous and damaging policies. This is what you get when you condemn a whole generation to a lifetime of debt, unaffordable housing and a lack of decent jobs.
Obviously we abhor violence against people, but the events at Millbank were a totally understandable response to pent up anger of young people who feel they are being jilted at every turn. Many of the protesters at millbank were younger college and sixth form students worried they will be priced out of university by a trebling of fees. Hundreds of people went inside the building and thousands more were cheering from the courtyard. This was a spontaneous action uniting thousands of ordinary students."
He concluded by calling for an escalation of student protests:
"What happened yesterday generated momentum in the student movement that must be harnessed if these cuts are to be defeated and the movement esclated. We fully support direct action, occupations and other activities that utilise sensible tactics to show the Government we will not accept higher fees, and we will not accept cuts to higher education funding.
The Green Party opposes cuts to public services and is calling for investment hundreds of thousands of green jobs to kick start the economy on a low carbon direction. With money markets desperate to buy government bonds, there is absolutely no reason to panic about Government debt in the short term. In 1945 public debt was 5 times larger than today and our grandparents managed to build the welfare state. The Tories have always tried to argue that we cannot afford decent education, health and housing, and they’ve been proved wrong."
ENDS
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