Contact details for the occupation
Their website
Their facebook page
Email the occupiers: essexpalestinesolidarity@googlemail.com
Contact details for the university
Occupation
Started - 6.30pm on Friday 16th January
Ended - Sunday 18th January
Where - The LTB
Why - in solidarity with the people of Gaza
Demands
- The University of Essex should release a statement condemning the Israeli attack on Gaza which has killed over 1000 people in the last 2 and a half weeks.
- The University of Essex must provide 5 full scholarships to students from Palestine, beginning the next academic year. At a University with such a diverse student body, Palestinian students are hugely unrepresented when compared with other groups.
- The University of Essex administration should facilitate a ‘fundraising day’ where buckets will be in every lecture and seminar to collect money for the charity Medical Aid for Palestinians.
- The University of Essex should help to rebuild the University of Gaza, which was bombed 6 times on the 28th December 2008.[1] It should send any surplus books, computers or other resources as a way of helping the suffering students and staff in Gaza.
- Finally, any and every student involved in this campaign will not face victimisation or reprisals as a result of their work. Students have a right to protest and voice their opinions through peaceful means. A university should in fact encourage freedom of expression.
Negotiation
18th January2009
The students end the occupation.
16th January 2009
At 6.30pm students occupied the LTB and issued their demands to the University. They comment: ’some of these demands have been met, such as a commitment from the University to send any surplus resources it may have to the University of Gaza, which was bombed to pieces by Israel. However, The University has not made enough commitments and the occupation has continued’.
