[Cja] statement - We need unity to break the Con Dems’ attacks - Stand with protesters against victimisation - pls forward

[Mark D. Bergfeld]

Dear friends

This is not related to climate justice so please forgive me. However, it is
crucial as we experienced a crackdown at Copenhagen student protestors are
experiencing the same.

As you probably know yesterday's student protests in London were huge,
militant and vibrant. Now, a media witchhunt is starting to develop. Me and
other activists have issued a statement in defense of the Millbank
protestors. Please forward to your contacts, pass it on and sign the
statement.


--------------------------

*We need unity to break the Con Dems’ attacks *

*Stand with protesters against victimisation*



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. Regrettably, NUS President Aaron Porter has
condemned these events as a “despicable” attempt by a small minority to
“hijack a peaceful protest”. 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.


-- 
*Mark Bergfeld*
*NUS National Executive Council*
*07 54 54 88 417*
*mark.bergfeld at nus.org.uk* <mark.bergfeld at nus.org.uk>
*twitter: @mdbergfeld*
*blog:  **http://markbergfeld.wordpress.com/*<http://markbergfeld.wordpress.com/>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://lists.aktivix.org/pipermail/cja/attachments/20101111/c25867d2/attachment.htm>