University of Birmingham Occupation

23/02/2015

In one month Simon and Kelly will be coming back to Uni to finish their degree after almost a whole year of being suspended by the University's very own kangaroo court despite not being found guilty of anything but being a small part or supporting an occupation. They got singled out and victimised for what frankly anybody with a soul would support: living wage, free education and more workers' and students' participation in the University.
During the last year they had to do their final year without being allowed any contact to lecturers or any attendance at Uni. They also did not get any student finance.
Obviously this is all very s**t. Now, what can you do?
When they ll be entering Uni again they ll be dependent on your help to be able to study for their final exams without having to work during that stressful time.
By donating whatever you can you ll help them be able to pay for food and rent and not having to worry about securing their livelihood.
http://www.gofundme.com/n146mw
If you cannot donate, share this with other people. Offer Simon and Kelly practical and mental support. Also get active, get informed, support your unions and staff at University. Stand up for people victimised in their political struggles.
http://www.gofundme.com/n146mw
Lots of love and solidarity!

In summer 2014, Kelly Rogers ad Simon Furse became the first students in many years to be suspended for a full academic year from a British University for protest activity. They were technically suspended for being part of - or even just supporting - an occupation in November 2013, in support of...

08/09/2014

Recently we've been getting a lot of likes to this page. Whilst this is great, this page is not used very often. The group who grew out of this occupation, and who held multiple occupations last year, is still active and you can keep update to date with our actions here:

https://www.facebook.com/defendeducationbrum

The campaign for free and democratic education in Birmingham and the rest of the UK.

25/03/2014

Students reinstated and charged dropped!!

Today the CPS has dropped all charges against the three students arrested and charged on the 29th January. All 13 students that were arrested that day have had their criminal investigations discontinued, following no evidence being found in support of…

21/02/2014

University of Birmingham Counseling service tells students that it is not confidential, and that they will pass on details of people involved in protests

The recent suspension of five students from the University of Birmingham after the demonstration on the 29th of january has bought to the attention of many of the other students and staff the unjust procedures in place at the University.…

17/02/2014

The aftermath of the national demonstration held on Wednesday at the University of Birmingham saw a number of articles emerging on the limits of peaceful protest. A number of students voiced their dislike of graffiti and broken doors, but completely neglected human rights abuses and unlawful actions...

14/02/2014

Today at 1pm a protest which Slaney Street attended of about 40 students marched around campus and chanted outside the Vice Chancellors office . The protest was delivered a letter by University of Birmingham lawyers declaring the protest an “occupation”. This was despite the fact the protest was not...

12/02/2014

Last night David Eastwood invited himself as a guest to speak at his "distinguished lecture series". Students who tried to speak to Eastwood were dragged out by an incredible security presence.

In the end Defend Education and university security probably made up the majority of the audience.

(Sorry for the bad phone camera quality. The security seized our Video camera for the duration of the talk.)

COME TO THE CLOCK TOWER TODAY FOR 1PM TO PROTEST THE SUSPENSIONS !!!

https://www.facebook.com/events/541922752588639/

10/02/2014

Very cut down list of signatories to a letter condemning to the University of Birmingham, including Noam Chomsky, Claire Short, John Mcdonnell and Natalie Bennet.

It is shameful that academics and figures from all over the world are quicker to come to the defence of students at Birmingham than our own Students' Union

Letter: We believe that the suspensions at the University of Birmingham are evidence of the contempt for freedom of expression in the contemporary university

10/02/2014

A statement by the 5 suspended students condemning the Guild of Students President, Poppy Wilkinson.

"The Guild and Poppy are both yet to release any statements that condemn the violence on behalf of the University and the private security they hired in for the day, despite numerous accounts by students (and video and photographic evidence) of punching, kicking, hair-pulling and tackling. They are also yet to issue any condemnations of the unlawful arrests and mistreatment at the hands of the police of the many students who were kettled and the 13 students arrested. These students are instead relying on the good-will of barristers, solicitors, student activists and – most shamefully – student unions elsewhere around the country."

Written by the 5 students suspended by the University of Birmingham: Kelly Rogers Simon Furse Deborah Hermanns Pat Grady Emily Farmer We are 5 of the 13 students who were arrested on Wednesday 29th January. University of Birmingham. We have…

10/02/2014

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02/02/2014

Sorry about the delay in getting this out, we had some unforeseen complications over the last few days ; ).

Here are the decisions made by the national meeting, to fight under the banner of Free, Just, and Democratic Education!

Please share this as widely as possible and organise action on your campus between the strike on the 6th and the 14th of February!

The meeting agreed to call for local actions by as many groups as possible in support of these demands: between the national strike on Thursday the 6th and Friday the 14th of February. Sorry about the delay in getting this…

28/01/2014

The University of Birmingham are now applying for a Second High Court injunction in as many months, banning occupational style protest for a year. The last injunction cost them £33,000. We are calling for the university to stop wasting its money on pointless repression and instead to spend the money on the living wage, and to negotiate as to our other demands.

Management are out of control and need to be stopped. Please share this post and come to the demo tomorrow at 2:30 at the clocktower.
http://www.defendeducationbrum.org/press-release-letter-no-6-university-opt-for-2nd-injunction-over-living-wage-for-staff/

Press Release For further information call Defend Education on 07842765067 University of Birmingham Apply for Second Injunction in two months. The University of Birmingham are applying for their second injunction in the last two months, in order to remove students…