Occupying students negotiate with police and management just after the occupation began (left) before discussing their demands (right)
Over a hundred students have occupied a conference suite in Bramber House at Sussex University in anger at hundreds of job cuts and course closures. After a large campus demonstration students stormed the building. Campus security has blocked exits and the university management have called the police.
The demonstration was called by the Stop the Cuts campaign which has organised large protests since the cuts at the university were announced in October. Socialist Students and Youth Fight for Jobs activists are involved in the occupation and have been active in the campaign and the protests.
Socialist Student member Claire Laker Mansfield, fighting to be elected as Education Officer for the student union this week, gave her solidarity to the occupying students and urged everyone in the student community to get involved with the Stop the Cuts campaign.
Claire said: "A demonstration has been called in solidarity with this action, assembling tomorrow (Tuesday) at 12.30 in library Square. Its essential that this protest is well attended, to show management that the student community supports the occupation and calls on them to meet the demands of the occupiers and the Stop the Cuts campaign."
Socialist Students and Youth Fight for Jobs have called for one day walkout strikes of all education workers and students locally and nationally against cuts and fees co-ordinated by trade unions, student unions and anti-cuts campaigns.
Please send messages of solidarity to Socialist Student member Sarah, who is in the occupation, on 07956 132470.
Click here to find out more about the Stop the Cuts and here for more on Claire's election campaign...
