North East Uni Alliance Meeting

Tomorrow will see the meeting of representatives from anti-cuts groups across the North East in Middlesbrough, in an attempt to better co-ordinate our campaign and to build a stronger relationship between our North Eastern Institutions. Ideally we want reps from as many groups as possible to attend, this includes schools and colleges.

At the meeting we will be discussing the different plans of action we may have and working out how best to support each other and make maximum impact (preferably non-violent!) Several people have also mentioned that we will be discussing the creation of a Union of North East Institutions of which reps of each group will be members. This would be especially useful as our true Union the NUS seems fairly unsupportive and our SU's have so far not shown any signs of taking the lead.

This is truly a historic movement we are living through: students are taking action to save their education, and taking action independantly of their SUs. School and College students have joined us in a fight which is rightfully theirs and never (in my lifetime at least) have I know my generation so united.

We have high hopes for the future of this campaign and we hope the meeting tomorrow will be the sucessful first of many!

More Videos from London

http://www.counterfire.org/index.php/news/96-education/8655-student-protest-evidence-of-police-violence-continues-to-emerge


Videos from youtube on the Counterfire website. These videos clearly show a lot of violence between protestors and police, but do, if you look out for it, show some police officers putting up thier visors and communicating with the protestors. These men and women who chose to talk to the crowd instead of ignoring them are to be honoured and thanked. Whatever our views on what happened that day, there is no denying that there was violence triggered by both police and protestors, and there were law abiding people trying to communicate on both sides. It is a shame that in all the fury of the day, these people who chose words over action were overwhelmed by the anger and violence that made the headlines.
I would urge our readers never to hastily condemn the police as a whole, as we ourselves despise being condemned as violent protestors. There are always those who trigger violence among us and there always will be. The only thing we can be certain of is our own actions. That is the one thing for which we are solely responsible. When it comes to it, remember that there were people who spoke to the crowd, there WERE police who tried to work with people. It is, once again the system as a whole that has failed us. And it is at the system we must direct our anger and our energy.

If someone treats you with respect, treat them also with respect, if someone talks to you, do not ignore them. If someone ignores you, do not give up talking. If someone beats you, defend yourself, but do not attack back. There is a right to self defence but it is our responsibility to make sure we do not then behave in an aggressive manner.

It is our individual choice when the heat of the moment takes us, whether to attack someone or not, whether to strike back or whether to take the blow. It is that decision that defines us. And at the end of the day, it is ourselves we have to live with.
Whatever you do in that moment is entirely your decision, but when you make it, be sure you will not regret it.

York Co-ordinates

YSJ Resist the Cuts is currently organising co-ordination between other Unis and groups across the north east including Northumbria and Middlesbrough. We are already co-ordinating with York uni and Fulford. With this improved communication between our institutions we hope to create an organised front against the threat posed by the coalition government against our education. Any other groups, please contact the facebook group York SJ Resist the Cuts at http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_167449749958572#!/home.php?sk=group_167449749958572

The better united we are, the better organised we are, the better we can fight this battle and the stronger we will be!
Get in touch with your local schools, colleges, unions and universities. We need to be as organised and open as possible.

Please feel free to get in touch and have a chat!

Cameron tells off naughty students

David Cameron this morning spoke out against the 'mob' that rampaged through London yesterday. At no point does he mention Alfie Meadows, or Jody McIntyre. Nowhere does he mention our own Ben Scicluna or the thousands of kettled protestors who never intended to be violent. NOWHERE does he mention the schoolchildren who were charge by mounted police!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11966861

This blog is obviously supporting student action, but we are trying to keep our view backed up by facts and not fall into the trap of being opinionated beyond reason. We have our reasons. And to be honest, I think if David Cameron feels that strongly about what he condems (oh I'm sorry, BAD PUN THERE) then he should show the spine to come out onto the streets and face us. If he TRULY has a point to make, then he should come out publicly and talk to us FACE TO FACE. And maybe once he's heard our stories and had his head smashed in by police and his little sisters education threatened  and seen his friends beaten and then trampled by horses MAYBE THEN he will understand our point of view and the anger that fuels the violence. Maybe then he will stop his idiocy and talk straight and true for the first time in his life.

RANT OVER

How the Lib Dems voted!

let us not forget that although the Lib Dems as a party have betrayed us and Nick Clegg lied to us, there are a list of 21 Lib Dem MPs who voted AGAINST the raising of the cap. as opposed to the 28 Lib Dems who voted FOR it.

28 FOR     vs    21 AGAINST

Looking at that figure we can clearly see we have split the Lib Dem party almost completely down the middle. This is a great acheivement. the more we unbalance onto our side, the more will follow. 

There were also some six Conservative MPs who voted AGAINST the cuts and two who abstained to vote.

 

December 9th - Ben Scicluna

Shocking scenes of student violence outside Parliament yesterday. Filmed by our London correspondant.


Our London Correspondent, Ben Scicluna, speaks out about yesterday's protests in London, at which he was present and suffered injury and concussion at the hands of the riot police...

9^th December 2010.

'Man is born free – and he is everywhere in chains.' The words of Jean-Jacques Rousseau still resonate. Government exists solely for the protection of the people yet this has rarely been the case. The political elite is self-serving, self-preservering and the insatiable thirst for power is their only concern.

Salus populi est suprema lex? Think again.

With an electoral system rendering the average voter without any influence over the political system, direct action becomes the only way to ensure your voice is heard. Society is unlikely to change. Those with power and wealth shall keep it, those down-trodden shall remain so, the status quo shall remain.

However, it is right that you are counted. Complacency is guilt by association. Edmund Burke's comment on the flourishing of evil is ever true. If you do not take action over the issues you believe in you are giving a carte-blanche to those who would oppress you, you give them the right to do, with little consequence, that which satisfies them. Politicians will protect their interests, political parties will loyally serve their donors, they shall cling to power.

Stand up and be counted.

Stability is what those in power require. A population unwilling to act is a population willing to accept diktats from above. A population showing its anger through political action, peaceful or violent, shows that there will always be good people willing to defend their beliefs, and such a philosophy is venerable.

Yesterday thousands of people, not only students, took to the streets of London to show that they will not lay down and accept that which is reprehensible to them. This government is making the poorest of society pay for the mistakes of the very richest. Students and future-students ARE the future yet they are burdened with the past like never before.

The actions of protesters were valid. A political system which ignores the voice of the people justifies actions against it. The state and servants of the state become valid targets.

Yesterday I witnessed scenes unimaginable in a so-called 'free nation' so willing to preach the ideas of demos kratos around the world. The right of peaceful protest and lobby enshrined in law was denied, illegal containment implemented and protesters rightly vented their frustrations. A person trapped in a cage becomes violent. Unable to leave, attacked and oppressed by a police force unwilling to serve the people, otherwise peaceful people became desperate.

I witnessed children, on the verge of tears, begging to leave. The response? A man twice their size in armour, raising a baton and screaming at them to fuck off. I witnessed rational people attempting to reason with unreasonable people, hell-bent on exercising their authority. I witnessed men laughing at the discomfort of the youth, and happily attacking any who challenged them. I saw a girl falling to the ground attacked with a heavy downward blow from a full body shield, her only crime being losing her balance in front of a police line. People attacking with nothing but words were in turn attacked with truncheons. I witnessed a police column rampaging through a crowd, running at full speed, smashing or trampling any in their way. Were these the 'trouble makers'? No, they were the peaceful protesters of the centre. The violent protesters were primarily concerned with the damage of government property, the police response was the damage of the people. Surely this more than anything shows the true nature of our government and political system.

I praise those who defended themselves against police brutality. Self-Defence is not a crime. A blow to the face of a person beating you to the ground is justified. I am glad police were injured yesterday, for many certainly deserved it. Yet I also praise those police officers who were concerned, who were unhappy at the general strategy, or merely those who were willing to be polite and treat their fellow citizens like human beings. I am glad the vehicle carrying the Prince of Wales was attacked, the people's anger shown, just as I am glad no harm came to them for they themselves were innocent. I am glad the Treasury was attacked. Property is never paramount to human life.

This is the beginning. A generation is showing its anger, flexing its muscles and standing up for what they believe in. Yesterday I was happy to face lines of riot police. I shall do so again, and again, and again. When the people no longer stand up for their rights, what is left is nothing but a nation of sheep led to the slaughterhouse.

Ben Scicluna.

Riot Police clashes with protestors: videos

                                                                                                                                                                                    

Remember what I posted earlier about the injuries my friend sustained?

This video shows an example of how it happened. Riot Police clash with protestors in Parliament Square.

Review of December 9th 2010- DEMO DAY

So we marched, and in london we screamed, and in york we shouted, and we occupied and we marched again, with our placards and slogans, with our drums and our mates. And in some towns we got violent, and the police gave us a kicking, in london we were charged at by men on horse-back and beaten with batons (which are designed to break bone).  And still they voted for cuts.

But guess what.

We forced 3/4 of the Lib dems to vote against their own party.
They say this is the end? That's the biggest lib dem rebellion in years! This is not the end by far!
We can force this coalition to its knees and it is already crumbling.
The fact that they reacted so extremely to the protestors outside parliament yesterday proves just how scared they are of us. The fact that they deployed mount police to CHARGE the protestors, shows how terrified they are. 'the jackal is most ferocious when cornered' because it knows its in its death throes. The coalition is up against the wall, and they will try to hit us and beat us back with their riot police and their policies, but we are not going to give into that, OH NO. We will keep on at them, we will get organised and we will fight this battle on the internet, in the council chamber, on the streets AND IN PARLIAMENT. We do have people speaking for us, we do have people who support us, the fact that the york march once again got cheered on by passers by, is proof of that, the fact that the policeman in charge came up and shook our hands, is proof of that. We have never been alone in this, and we will keep organising ourselves. Our generation has finally woken up, we finally have something to bring us together, and by hell the coalition have no idea what they've done.
We will make sure they know soon enough.

MET POLICE HORROR!!

Met riot police meeting with angry stuents outside parliament today first kettled them and then proceded to fight with them, in what has been described by eyewitnesses as a bloodbath.
In an msn conversation this evening, one protestor describes the day:

Above are screenshots from the conversation with a friend who attended the london protest. He is now suffering from severe concussion and has to be observed for the next few hours, to make sure he isnt suffering from further unseen problems.

He was beaten in the legs by a police officer, then in the chest, then in the back of the head by a charging riot policeman with both baton and shield.

Does this sound like police brutality anyone?

While we are on this subject, I would like to draw a stark contrast between the Met and our own city of york police, who are truly a credit to their proffession. Once again they handled the march with an open mind and engaged with protestors, listening and talking to us. The officer in charge, actually came up to a group of us after the march and shook our hands, saying we were a credit to our universities and schools.

It is a great great stain on this nation that our own capital city cannot produce officers of equal nobility and understanding.

The scandal in london was both illegal, and unacceptable, we need changes, we cannot accept this, we WILL NOT accept this.

They may think they have passed a vote, but its time to remind them that WE run this country. WE are the voters, WE call the shots, and its time we made them F*CKING LISTEN!

We will continue to take to the streets, we will continue to occupy and we will stand in unity with our fellow students, and our fellow britains, with our parents, and brothers and sisters and friends, with our lecturers and our classmates, and we WILL NOT BACK DOWN!!!

SOLIDARITY!! WE WILL WIN THIS WAR!!!!

Reply from Hugh Bayley!

About a month ago I sent an email to York MP Hugh Bayley (labour)
I got a reply from him through my letter box this morning.





Dont know if you can see that, but thats the reply I got from him.

He also included a copy of his speech, which I will put up later.

The debate in the commons at the minute is well under way, we seem to have a lot of support from labour, but we already knew that. Also support from the SNP. There is not a full house at the moment, which is worrying, are MPs not going to turn up for the vote?
Barricades outside parliament have been broken down by protestors but protestors have now been kettled in Parliment Square.

WE WILL MARCH!

The result of the vote is said to be announced while we are on the march at around 1730. We will be listening in on the radio, to inform everyone of the result as soon as it comes in.

However! We must not forget that whatever the result may be, we will finish our protest, and if the cuts are voted in, we will continue to fight this battle, we will not be defeated, we will not accept such ridiculous policies! our education is ours by right, and we must fight for it. There is no reason for the poor to be barred from higher education by those who had an education for free. We will fight this, no matter what the verdict of todays vote.

Solidarity among students!

Message from the YSJ Vice Chancellor

http://w3.yorksj.ac.uk/students/scroller-items/message-from-the-vice-chancell.aspx

Our YSJ Vice Chancellor has responded. I do not think he has particularly made a point with this response, one reads it and thinks 'yes, and what is the point you are making?'

I think it does however show a lack of commitment on the part of YSJ, as he seems obviously unconcerned by the proposed cuts, and seems happy to accept them. Is this the sort of attitude we really want? An attitude of complacency?

I think one thing it does show, is that we cannot rely on those in authority to fight this battle for us, but we already knew that didnt we? :P

The link above the screen shot takes you to the page the vice chancellors comment was posted on.

x3 March on York: one day to go!

With one day to go before the vote, I hope everyone is preparing for the march in york tomorrow, the balloon launch and the flashmob. We may not be in London but that doesnt mean we cant make our voices heard and our passion felt. Lets get York into the news, lets make this protest the best so far!

Start rallying the troops! For tomorrow we march on York!

York Protest Orchestra

A big thanks to the talent of the york uni musicians for making the night a brilliant one :)

York Uni Occupation

A big congrats to the York Uni Occupation who appear to still be going strong and shouting 'solidarity!' at their fellow students :)
Here's one of my favourite video clips from their open mic night on Sunday...

speeches from x2 March on York

BBC Radio York

I got in touch with the North Yorkshire section of the BBC as they had no coverage of the protests in York on their website, which I thought was somewhat mad, considering this is the capital city of the county they cover. They got back to me and I've sent them pictures, and they have expressed interest in gathering news about the York protests and covering the York Uni occupation in their breakfast show.

Please never hesitate to get in touch with the media to send in new, pictures, video, or even to invite them to an event! We need as much coverage as we can get!

Reply from YSJ SU

We have recieved a very prompt reply from the SU.
Here is that response:

'I have not been quiet and although i was away to see my parents this weekend i was at the march the previous tuesday to which i saw numerous students from ysj.

I am in the process of trying to get round lectures from now until thursday about ysj going to guildhall from 6pm-7pm for a flash mob of support to the local labour government aboit an injunction to cap fees in york, but at the same time about mps voting on the cuts. I would very much like it if you could gather students and friends outside fountains learning centre at half 5 thurs to demonstrate at local council,

Kind regards'

 

Although the time of half five outside YSJ almost certainly clashes with the march, i believe it would be a good plan to go from the march to the guildhall at around 6pm to join the flashmob, it would be very impressive if a full protest march suddenly froze in front of said building.

 

Please pass the message on to your friends and associates and be there, if not for the march, but for the flashmob.

X2 March on York

The march on sunday went very well. Once again we had no violence and no antagonising behaviour towards the police, or from the police. Once again we shouted our heads off, and once again we were cheered on by onlookers.

Well done to everyone who took part, it was brilliant to have so many school and college students marching, it is you who this will affect, it is you we are fighting for.

What really touched me was one woman speaking over the megaphone, who thanked us as a parent, saying she could not afford to support her daughters university attendance if the cuts are voted in. She thanked us, and it meant a lot to hear such praise from someone who isnt a student.

There is another protest this Thursday(9th December), as I am sure we are all aware. See the facebook group for more details: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=736100310#!/event.php?eid=134467146610598

There is also a ballon launch as a protest outside the council offices in york on the same day. Again, see the facebook group for further details:
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=736100310#!/event.php?eid=182005198479641

Thanks to the York Uni occupation for a brilliant open mic night, I enjoyed myself very much, you are a great bunch of people, and very musically talented! long live the Protest Orchestra!

I hope to see everyone out on the street on Wednesday and Thursday, whether it be in York, Leeds, Sheffield, London, or anywhere else in the UK, this is our final chance to put pressure on the already fractured government, and stop the cuts which spell disaster to the generations to come. We cannot let education become exclusive.

Education is a right, and not a privallage
Solidarity between students!

See you on the streets

Email to YSJ SU

Having previously emailed the York St John's SU and received no reply, I thought it best to email again. York St John should be a lot more active in this battle against education cuts, we are a small uni, very arts oritented with a lot of poorer students attending, and we would no doubt be hammered badly if the cuts get voted in.
Here is the email I sent to the SU.
Let us hope it gets a response.

I am emailing on behalf of the group within YSJ that has unofficially been organising and rallying support for the protests in york thus far. I emailed Katie last week to ask whether it would be possible to send an email round the  student body at YSJ advertising the march and calling for students to support it. I did not receive a reply. We went to the SU, to speak to her and she took a flyer from us and said she would see what she could do. Again, we heard nothing further.

I appreciate you must all be so incredibly busy, but I am confused and somewhat taken aback by the lack of support our protests have recieved from the SU, and the fact that we have not even been given a reason for this lack of support. You were all so brilliant at organising the trip to the london protest, nobody in our party got lost, nobody got into trouble with the police. This is why I can't understand why there has been no support of the protests in our own home town! it is truly pitiful that out of the people on the march on sunday, there were only ten who marched out from York St Johns. That really looks bad. We are a small caring institution that is a great promoter of the arts, it is the arts that will suffer most heavily under the cuts, and yet we are not showing our outrage at this. Why is this?

Even if the SU has decided not to support the protests, it would be nice to at least be given a reason, instead of being ignored. I know I am not the only one who has come asking for SU assistance with organising.

I have always been proud to say that this is my uni.

I am not feeling so proud of it now.

Please help us organise.

You are our SU president, you are meant to be our voice.

Please help us in this campaign.

York St John should not be silent.