31st January - 6th February 2014
Est. 1936
• Security staff struck by smoke bomb • Fourteen arrests made • Students smash down doors to Aston Webb • Police record IDs of over a hundred students
Protesters Clash with Police at National Protest
• Banner hung from top of Old Joe
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Students from universities across the country – including Scotland and Northern Ireland – have gathered at the University of Birmingham for a national demonstration. Approximately 300 students from over ten universities, including Sussex, UCL, Kings and SOAS, gathered around the Old Joe clocktower for the main demonstration. The protesters, some of which covered their faces, unveiled banners and chanted campaign slogans. The opening speaker stated ‘direct action is more inclusive and student apathy is representative of wider issues’. Meanwhile, others managed to gain access to the Aston Webb Building and Old Joe to hang banners from them, one of which stated ‘management out’. Aaron Kiely, National Union of Students’ Black Students’ Officer, said ‘we need to fight back. All protests are effective, they are a way of resisting.’ After clashing with heightened campus security, demonstrators managed to break into the Aston Webb building where around 150 protesters occupied the Great Hall. Once security staff had left the Hall, protesters barricaded the main doors with equipment set up for Thursday’s Give It A Go Fair, which was subsequently cancelled. Despite this, security staff later managed to film the occupiers from the overlooking balconies. Police were called to the scene after the back entrance to the Great Hall was broken down, prompting occupiers to decide to leave the Great Hall. However, they were then detained for around an hour before they were slowly able to leave. The protesters had their details taken and were filmed leaving the premises whilst stating their personal details. The police are now able to undertake their investigation and protesters that did not comply were told that they may be arrested for ‘aggravated trespass’. (Continued p.6)
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Charlotte Wilson )*'%+%$(#! '(% , & %
Vol. 78. Issue 1442. www.redbrick.me
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