Wednesday’s national NUS/UCU 50,000 strong national demonstration was a magnificent show of strength against the Con Dems’ savage attacks on education. The Tories want to make swingeing cuts, introduce £9,000 tuition fees and cut EMA. These attacks will close the doors to higher education and further education for a generation of young people.

 

During the demonstration over 5,000 students showed their determination to defend the future of education by occupying the Tory party HQ and its courtyards for several hours. The mood was good-spirited, with chants, singing and flares.

 

Yet at least 32 people have now been arrested, and the police and media appear to be launching a witch-hunt condemning peaceful protesters as “criminals” and violent.

 

A great deal is being made of a few windows smashed during the protest, but the real vandals are those waging a war on our education system.

 

We reject any attempt to characterise the Millbank protest as small, “extremist” or unrepresentative of our movement.

 

We celebrate the fact that thousands of students were willing to send a message to the Tories that we will fight to win. Occupations are a long established tradition in the student movement that should be defended. It is this kind of action in France and Greece that has been an inspiration to many workers and students in Britain faced with such a huge assault on jobs, benefits, housing and the public sector.

 

We stand with the protesters, and anyone who is victimised as a result of the protest.

 

Initial signatories include (all in a personal capacity):

 

Mark Bergfeld, NUS NEC

 

Sean Rillo Raczka, Birkbeck SU Chair and NUS NEC (Mature Students’ Rep)

 

Vicki Baars, NUS LGBT Officer (Women’s Place)

 

Alan Bailey, NUS LGBT Officer (Open Place)

 

Kanjay Sesay, NUS Black Students’ Officer

 

Matt Bond, NUS Disabled Ctte (Open Place rep)

 

Michael Chessum, Education and Campaigns Officer UCL SU

 

Jade Baker, Education Officer Westminster Uni SU

 

Cameron Tait, University of Sussex Students’ Union President

 

Nathan Bolton, Campaigns Officer Essex University Students’ Union

 

Clare Solomon, ULU President

 

Jim Wolfreys, UCU NEC

 

Dr Marion Hersh UCU NEC and Scottish Executive

 

Alex Gordon, President, National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers (RMT)

 

Lee Hall, playwright ‘Billy Elliot’

 

Hilary Wainwright, Transational Institute

 

Alex Callinicos, Professor of European Studies King’s College London

 

To add your name or organisation email teneleventen@gmail.com

 

Join our facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/We-need-unity-defend-the-Millbank-protestors/128397300550227

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