A group of protesters are occupying part of the University of Birmingham today in response to the institution’s decision to ban two pupils last week.
The protesters acting under the name of Defend Education Birmingham say the demonstration is needed to defend the “democratic right to dissent on campus”at all English universities.
Last week, one month before they were due to graduate, Simon Furse and Kelly Rogers were suspended from their course until March next year for their part in an eight day protest at the ceremonial Senate Chamber in the Aston Webb building.
The pair were demanding the living wage be paid to all staff at the Edgbaston-based facility.
University chiefs also handed former guild vice president of education Hattie Craig a six-month suspended sentence after the completion of a lengthy nine month disciplinary procedure.
Today’s activists have released a list of demands they want to see met before they will leave the grounds. They include the resinstatement of Kelly Rogers and Simon Furse, sanctions against Hattie Craig are lifted, that the University of Birmingham recognises occupations as a legitimate form of protest, that the University of Birmingham reforms its disciplinary procedures, and that it enters into negotiations with Defend Education Birmingham over its continuing demands.
One of the occupiers said: “Universities have historically been radical places where learning and dissent went hand in hand. Our higher education system is so far removed from this that universities have become nothing more than paper-pushing, draconian institutions that care nothing for the welfare of their students.”
Another unnamed protester said: “Simon, Kelly and Hattie are being persecuted for exercising their rights to freedom of assembly and freedom of speech; we have to act before this becomes the norm not just in Birmingham, but nationwide.”
The University insist the right to protest is confirmed in its Freedom of Speech Code of Practice but that action had to be taken as the protesters caused widespread disruption to nearly 900 students and stopped staff from attending their place of work for a week.