Unity to defend education - stand with protesters against victimisation

We need unity to defend education and break the Con Dems attacks. Stand with protesters against victimisation.

Stand with the protestors against victimisation
Hands off our students, our colleges and our universities
Broken windows cannot compare to the broken hearts and dreams of a generation denied education and jobs

Wednesdays 10th November 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 many workers and students in Britain faced with such a huge assault on jobs, housing and the public sector.

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

Initial signatories include:

Mark Bergfeld, NUS NEC
Sean Rillo Raczka, Birkbeck SU Chair and NUS NEC (Mature Students Rep)
Vicki Baars, NUS LGBT Officer (Womens 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, Transnational Institute
Alex Callinicos, Professor of European Studies Kings College London
Bill Bragg Songwriter
Noami Klein Author and Activist

All in a personal capacity