Student fightback – from Millbank to the 24th!

As SSY has already covered, the student demonstrations against cuts and fees have already brought French style occupations and protest to the streets of the UK – a long overdue development as far as we’re concerned. Despite the attacks on the Millbank occupation by the Tory media and the NUS Labour career ladder the reality is that last weeks demo was a well timed opening blow from the anti-cuts movement to a Coalition which has so far not ran into significant trouble. The occupation itself has in fact garnered sympathy from folk who you wouldn’t normally associate wi anti-capitalist rioting – Paul O’Grady advocated the use of fire extinguishers as battering rams to a cheering audience!

Let’s ensure the pressure is kept on these chancers next week, on the National Day of action, on Wednesday the 24th. Next Wednesday there’s gonna be action up and down the UK in defence of Free Education, available on the basis of academic merit and not the ability to pay. We think the movement should unite with school students as well, demanding no to cuts in schools and that we save EMA. There’s a variety of activities planned within the Glasgow area next week (post if there’s stuff happening near universities, ie Edinburgh!) which you can get involved in below,

- Students at colleges and universities will call for mass walk-outs at 11.45am next Wednesday 24 November.

These have already been called at Strathclyde & Glasgow Unis, where students will rally at 12 noon. Students can then march from their campuses past schools and colleges, picking up people on the way to come together in town.

- There will be a Glasgow-wide call out for students, from colleges, schools and unis, to meet at 3pm at the steps by the Royal Concert Hall on Buchanan St, Wed 24 November. There will then be the potential for direct action. United in one place, Glasgow’s students and school students will make their voice heard. Download the leaflet and print some out for your college/school/uni/friends here.

- The NUS & various student unions & trade unions have called a rally against education cuts at 5pm in George Sq, with a number of different speakers.