Expenses Protest

Following the recent scandal over executive expenses at Newcastle University, a demonstration is planned for 12pm on Thursday 17th March. The demonstration will take place outside the Kings Gate building.

Last year £150,000 was claimed in expenses by University management including for items as trivial as a Metro ticket. The universities Vice Chancellor Chris Brink claimed £39,000 on top of his £240,000 salary.

At a time when the university is faced with £7 million in lost funding through Government cuts which will force the closure of departments, increase in tuition fees and staff having pay and pensions reduced, many see this as a highly inappropriate use of University funds.

The demands which the protestors are placing on the University are that Newcastle University management enact an immediate freeze on executive expenses and institute a plan to reduce expenses as quickly, and publicly, as possible.

PRESS RELEASE - Mervyn King in Newcastle

This evening, Mervyn King, Governor of the Bank of England, is having a banquet in Newcastle on the day that it was announced that in the final quarter of 2010 the UKs economy shrunk by 0.5% causing fears among economists that we could be heading for ‘stagflation’.

The banquet, which coasts £55 per person, is the only opportunity for ordinary, working people and people on fixed incomes to speak to Mervyn King and it is not likely that the majority of people could afford such an excess, especially now that inflation is at 3.7%.

In a time when there is so much public concern over the state of our economy and when everyone is feeling the pinch, everyone should be able to ask questions and express their fears to the man at the helm.

A demonstration is planned to start at 6pm today outside Newcastle Civic Centre. Mervyn King, Governor of the Bank of England is giving a keynote speech at a banquet which has been organised for 7pm. The demonstration is to urge Mervin King to talk to everyone, especially those on lower or fixed incomes about the problems that they will face with high unemployment and inflation.


We want to talk to Mervyn King and this is the only way we can.

PRESS RELEASE - Chi Onwurah MP not informed about PMs visit to Newcastle

Today a spokesperson for Chi Onwurah MP for Newcastle Central, revealed that David Cameron's visit to Newcastle had been suppressed from even his colleagues, which is against parliamentary protocol.

This worrying revelation comes just hour after a peaceful protester was arrested on a charge of criminal damage, however we can find no witnesses to corroborate this and the police refuse to comment on the case.

A demonstration was held at Etal Lane Police Station, Westerhope, Newcastle at 6pm and is continuing in support and solidarity of Ewan Brown.

PRESS RELEASE - David Cameron's Secret Newcastle Visit

Update (17:30): A member of the occupation just phoned the office of local Labour MP Chi Onwurah, to see what assistance she might officer. On calling, the student was informed by the MP’s case worker that Chi’s office had not even been informed of the Prime Minister’s visit, which is a breach of Parliamentary protocol.

Original press release

David Cameron visited Newcastle secretly today, not the actions of a popular Prime Minister. It was felt by many people that this was an opportunity to bring attention to the crippling ideological attack on public services which will disproportionately effect the North East. One protestor commented “Upon hearing David Cameron was in town, we decided to stage an impromptu rally. We then went around repeatedly requesting for Cameron to come and address the people of North East”.

The peaceful protestors assembled outside the Newcastle Centre for Life, an educational charity which plays a vital role in the local community for engaging with schools and colleges to promote education and scientific research.

As David Cameron left the Centre of Life, some of the protestors attempted to stop the motorcade in protest of his unwillingness to listen to the concerns of more than just a hand picked section of society. Danny Youkee, 25, a student at Newcastle University said that “The shutters opened and we slowed David Cameron’s car, several protesters surround it and were apprehended by plain clothes police. Several of the protesters were then pushed to the other side of the road”.

It was after this that Ewan Brown was “pushed against a fence by a plain clothes police officer” and then more than30 protesters surrounded the police that were holding Ewan to show support. “We asked why he was being taken and got no answer” said a protester.

There will be a demonstration today at 6pm outside Etal Lane Police Station, Westerhope, Newcastle where Ewan is being held.

PEACEFUL PROTESTOR ARRESTED IN NEWCASTLE

Newcastle Occupation offers a message of support to Ewan Brown, who was arrested during a peaceful protest outside the Life Centre, Newcastle Upon Tyne and to express our outrage that the police feel this is an appropriate response.

David Cameron had been giving a talk at the Life Centre when a group of protestors gathered outside in response to the Coalition governments catastrophic cuts to Higher and Further Education and other public services.

Ewan has been taken to Etal Lane Police Station, Westerhope, Newcastle. Currently people are gathering outside the police station to protest at the arrest.

PRESS RELEASE - This is only the beginning

Newcastle Occupation of the Fine Art building is coming to an end on Sunday 11th December by 2pm. This is a direct response to the actions of University management today, who have threatened not only University disciplinary action, but also began legal action.


While many members of the Occupation would be happy to remain, if disciplinary action was sought by the University, our group would be severely hampered in taking further action in the future.

While we are disappointed that most of our demands have not been met or that Chris Brink, the Vice Chancellor, has repeatedly refused to meet with members of the occupation or to consider discussing our demands, the occupation has been an outstanding success. We have been pivotal in organising and facilitating marches, protests and direct action across the city. We have connected with people, not only students, but lecturers, unions and members of the public. People are now more aware of the risk of the proposed cuts to higher education and cuts to other public services.

We have been endeavouring to let normal timetabled lectures continue, however these were relocated despite our wishes. So that education could continue, we arranged alternative lectures by inviting lecturers from Newcastle and Northumbria Universities to give talks and workshops. We regret the disruption caused by the University in response to our occupation. This has been a large factor in our decision to end the occupation and allow Fine Art students to finish the year uninterrupted.

The vote on Thursday and the end of the Occupation is not the end of the struggle to defend education. Our fight will continue.

We had no voice and we have found one and we will not be silenced.

PRESS RELEASE - Day X3 Action

Today has seen widespread protests across the country, the majority of which have been peaceful. The protest held in Newcastle today, which was organized with help of members of Newcastle Occupation, saw 2000 students from 6^th forms, FE colleges and Newcastle and Northumbria Universities march peacefully through Newcastle city centre.

Crowds gathered at 12pm at Monument and then marched around the city till the rally at Civic Centre at 5pm. The rally saw trade union members come together with students for an open mic with speakers from the UCU and members of Newcastle Occupation as well as trade unionists and members of the public.

During the march, 20 members of the Occupation entered a meeting where the Chris Brink, the vice chancellor of Newcastle University was present. This was as a direct result of the vice chancellors refusal to meet with the members of Newcastle Occupation. 

Press Release - More Action In King's Gate

Today, members of the Newcastle University Student Occupation took part in further protests against proposed cuts to higher and further education in the Kings Gate building of Newcastle University.

The peaceful action took place in the form of a stunt in which nine thousand flyers were distributed around the building whilst a student in a fat-cat costume scrabbled around on the floor after them.

The flyers took the form of £1 banknotes bearing the face of the Vice Chancellor, Chris Brink, symbolising the estimated new cap on tuition fees.

Once again, the protest ended after threats of disciplinary action.

Biomedical sciences student Mae Gomersall explains the significance of the protest:

“The fat-cat chasing the money symbolizes how we as students feel we and our money are being treated. So far we have found it hard to make our voices heard and non-violent direct action is our way of drawing attention to the cause. More will follow.”

PRESS RELEASE - Statement made by Chris Brink, VC of Newcastle University

“The University is not a business and education is not for sale” – Chris Brinks, Vice Chancellor of Newcastle University

Chris Brink, Vice Chancellor of Newcastle University addressed students yesterday at Student Union Council, in response to the direct pressure placed on him by Newcastle students currently occupying the Fine Arts Building.

The Vice Chancellor took this rare opportunity to meet students to reaffirm his commitment the equality within the education system and the importance that education plays not only in our country but also the UK’s position on the world stage. He argued that he was not in a position to condemn the findings of the Browne review or the proposed cuts to higher education which will be voted on in Parliament on the 9^th December as the university is not a political organization and cannot be seen to attempt to influence the Parliamentary process.

However, the Vice Chancellor has made an overtly political statement publicly in his latest press release. In this statement he directly references points made at a previous meeting where he said “This will be the only major country in the world where the state is consciously and deliberately disinvesting from higher education” and that “The University is not a business and education is not for sale”. Yet he also states that “It is not inconceivable that the political process may still lead to some compromises” and that “The University accepts that reality, and is confident that it will continue to deliver on the objectives”.

The Vice Chancellor is not only aware of the damage that will be caused to higher education by the cuts, but has also publicly denounced them, yet he continued to support the actions of this government despite his own statements and the voices of the students and lectures who oppose the cuts.

PRESS RELEASE - NUS members denied entry to Occupation

Today, is the 9^th consecutive day of occupation of the Fine Arts building of Newcastle University, management have denied senior NUS members access to the occupation. The NUS who support this action and others around the country are our union representatives. One member of the NUS delegation was Pete Mercer, a member of the NUS National Executive Committee tweets “Shame on management and security for restricting access”. Another member of the delegation tweets that “Newcastle University not allowing NUS in to give support to the occupation.”

So far the Vice Chancellor of Newcastle University, Chris Brink has refused to directly meet with members of the occupation as he claims that we do not represent the student body, however he is denying access to the very people who demonstrate that the occupation and our demands are representative of not only the student body, but of a huge section of society. We have had messages of support from Noam Chomsky, Chi Onwurah MP for Newcastle Central, the UCU, Unite, Unison and innumerable members of staff and students.

Tonight the Vice Chancellor is speaking at Union Council, which is a rare occurrence. A member of the occupation said, “This shows that we are starting to have an impact and that it can only be a matter of time until he meets with us directly”.

Press release- Students step up action against the cuts

On Wednesday, students at the week-long Newcastle University Occupation stepped up their action in the defence of education.

As well as staging a sit-in at the King’s Gate building on the university campus, which resulted in the finance building being temporarily closed, they submitted an application to the Department for Education to turn their occupied space into a free school.

This non-violent direct action – the latest in a series against education cuts and soaring tuition fees- was a response to the Vice Chancellor’s refusal to meet the occupiers as a group in the occupied fine art building of the university.

Fifteen students marched into the new complex, mouths covered with tape, and lay in a line across the foyer. This was where they remained for two hours despite requests from university management to leave the building, which had been shut down for the duration of the protest.

Masashi Stokoe, one of the students involved in the protest, said, “we haven’t been able to speak to the Vice Chancellor as a group democratically. He says we don’t represent student opinion but the wave of protests throughout the country recently suggest otherwise, besides which we’re supported by our democratically elected Student Union”.

The group had their mouths symbolically gagged, as one of the students, Emily Clark, explained, “to show that we feel that our voices aren’t being heard”.

Highlighting the peaceful nature of the demonstration, history student, Francesca Scott, commented, “the management were trying to suggest that we were disrupting the business of students, but it was management that shut the building down. Also, when they started talking about disciplinary procedures, I felt pretty intimidated. We have a right to peacefully protest”.

Meanwhile, the students at the occupation have submitted a request to become a free school under new government proposals.

Nick Lamb commented, “the government has said that anyone who want to set a up a school should be able to. With this occupation we are using this space to promote an alternative idea of education, so we have taken the government up on its offer and are trying to ensure that we can continue providing an alternative educational programme. We await the department for education’s response”.

Jon Clark, a music student who was involved in the sit down demonstration summed up the overall mood of the protesters; “We are showing the management that we take the defence of education seriously. The occupation is not a glorified sleep over – we are prepared to take action”.

PRESS RELEASE - Day 8 Action at Kings Gate Building

Students from the Occupation at Newcastle University have peacefully protested this afternoon in response to the Vice Chancellors refusal to meet with the members of the Occupation to discuss our demands.

At the beginning of our 7^th day of occupation in the Fine Arts building at Newcastle University, a small delegation was sent to hold talks with the Vice Chancellor, Chris Brink, in his office in the Kings Gate building. This delegation was sent with a mandate to discuss the possibility of the Vice Chancellor coming to our space to begin negotiations on our demands. Unfortunately we must report that he dismissed the possibility of this entirely on the grounds that the students in occupation do not represent the wider student community at Newcastle. This is despite the occupation having the support of the democratically elected representatives of Newcastle University Students Union, NUS, UCU, Unite and Unison, along with many lecturers and students and demonstrates just how out of touch the management of our University is with the views and opinions of the student body.

Throughout the meeting the delegates were spoken to in a dismissive manner and it was made clear that the university management had not considered consulting students on the threats we face from the current government. Indeed the Vice Chancellor admitted that it was the continued presence of the occupying students that had led him to the decision that a consultation of students should take place. However, it was made clear to us that any discussion on these issues would occur only on the terms of management.

The protesters were laid on the floor in the entrance of the building with their mouths taped up, symbolizing the frustration and anger we feel at being excluded from talks about the impact that cuts to higher education will have on Newcastle University and the country. The protesters left before disciplinary action was taken.

Current Action at Newcastle University

Students from the Occupation at Newcastle University are currently in the newly built Kings Gate building peacefully demonstrating. This is in response to the Vice Chancellors refusal to meet with the members of the Occupation to discuss our demands. The protesters are laid on the floor in the entrance of the building with their mouths taped up, symbolizing the frustration and anger we feel at being excluded from talks about the impact that cuts to higher education will have on Newcastle University and the country.

PRESS RELEASE - SECOND DAY OF ACTION (DAY 7)

In the seventh day of occupation we have seen a successful demonstration through Newcastle city centre that was entirely peaceful. We wish to thank and applaud the Northumbrian Police for its cooperation with organizing this demonstration However, it is apparent that other police forces around the country have acted inappropriately and violently. We deplore these actions and believe that these are the cause of the violence seen at previous demonstrations.

Newcastle Occupation has decided to release 3 additional demands of our university due to the success of our occupation and today’s demonstration. These demands are in line with our stated goals that the University should oppose education cuts and tuition fee rises but also demand changes to our University structure so that our University echoes the feelings of the student body.

Our 3 additional demands:

That all asylum seekers wishing to study at Newcastle University are treated as home students following the example set by London Metropolitan and Manchester Universities

Greater student representation in University management, thus we demand ten Newcastle students are involved with running our University, each with a vote on senate or council. In addition, we demand that students are included in the Vice Chancellor’s meetings with academics concerning fees and cuts, due to take place in the coming weeks.

We demand that the University provides a large lecture theatre for a community anti-cuts coordinating assembly to take place weekly.

PRESS RELEASE - Day 6 (Preparation for the Second Day of Action)

Today students at the Newcastle University Occupation were elated by a message of support and solidarity from Noam Chomsky, the American political activist and famed linguist. A further message of support has been received from Lee Hall, the screenwriter of Billy Elliot who said that we are “completely right to contest both the fees and the catastrophic cuts to teaching”.

The peaceful occupation has continued into its sixth successful day and has seen timetabled lectures continuing along side alternative lectures, which have been planned by the Occupation.

The national Second Day of Action on Tuesday has been planned in Newcastle by a number of groups working in cooperation. Student representatives from local sixth forms and FE colleges have been facilitated by the Occupation by allowing them to discuss, debate and organize for the day of peaceful protest. Newcastle Occupation is very pleased to be able to host these events as it allows students an open, tolerant and welcoming forum for people to express their ideas and opinions.

Northumbria University Students Union has announced today that it will be providing stewards for the demonstration tomorrow, which we are sure will remain peaceful and will be a powerful symbol of the frustration, betrayal and anger felt amongst students against the ideological cuts being made against higher education.

Tom Delamere, the President of Newcastle Students Union offered support to all students taking action against fee increases and cuts to the higher education budget in line with his and the Student Unions commitment to tackling this issue saying that the “Newcastle University Students’ Union … completely support [the] occupation in the spirit of the protest against the cuts to higher education”.

PRESS RELEASE - Day 5

Newcastle University occupation has seen its fifth peaceful day. Northumbria University and local sixth form students join students of Newcastle University for an online lecture with David Wearing followed by a question and answer session.

The statement made today by the NUS president, Aaron Porter has been welcomed by members of the occupation. We are glad that the NUS have begun to listen to the voice and opinions of students from all around the country. The Newcastle Occupation urges Aaron Porter to visit all occupations around the country in solidarity.

Again 6th formers joined the occupation to discuss and debate the Second Day of Action on Tuesday. A plan of action has been agreed for the day that will ensure a peaceful protest and safety for all. We have contact the police about the plans for the protest.

We are very pleased to be able to give 6^th formers and FE college students a welcoming forum for them to express their ideas, opinions and plans for the future of the anti-cuts movement.

We are overwhelmed with the level of support that we are receiving including a personal message from Noam Chomsky. Lecturers, local businesses and members of the public are braving the bad weather to donate to the occupation.

We are preparing to occupy the Fine Arts building indefinitely until our demands are met.

PRESS RELEASE - Day 4 (Second Day of Action Planning)

The peaceful occupation of the Fine Arts building at Newcastle University is now in its fourth successful day. We are here following a National Day of Action on Wednesday, which saw thousands of students, university and non-university, lecturers and members of the public demonstrating to oppose the devastating cuts to Higher Education and the discontinuation of Education Maintenance Allowance. This was followed by a very well attended teach-in organized by Newcastle Free Education Network.

The continued support from Tyne & Wear Left Unity, the Northern Region UCU, many lecturers and the general public is not only greatly appreciated but is vital to the campaign and our occupation.

Our commitment to education is manifest in our dedication to providing alternative lectures, workshops and discussions in unfilled time in the occupied lecture theatre. These are well attended by a wide variety of people and continue to be popular.

Today we were pleased to hold talks with student representatives of local sixth forms and colleges about the second National Day of Action which is due to be held on Tuesday 30^th November. We are currently corresponding with Northumbria Police about this event.

Day Two Press Release

This message was relayed to the press on the 25th November 2010:

The Newcastle University Occupation continued peacefully for its second day in the Fine Art building. The numbers of occupants swelled to over seventy. Morale is high as occupiers enjoyed an evening of discussions, live music, juggling and pizza and other food donated by local groups (including the UCU, Left Unity and the Socialist Workers' Party).

Throughout the day occupiers encouraged other students to join them in their action, running rallies, making banners and established meaningful contact with other occupations nationwide. This provided a strong sense of solidarity throughout the group and has drawn support nationally and internationally with blog comments and emails from Turkey, Germany and the Philippines amongst the many received. Lectures were allowed to continue in the occupied teaching area, highlighting the occupation's goal to defend education, not disrupt it. The group is being run entirely democratically from within, with separate chairs for every discussion and votes taken on every point of action.

The negotiation process with University Management is ongoing - the group continues to request that its demands of the University be met and has reiterated its desire to occupy until that time.

With further rallies and creative protest actions planned for the coming days, we encourage all media to join us in the Fine Art building at Newcastle University where we will be available and willing to discuss the merits of positive protest and the goals of our campaign.

Newcastle University Occupiers

We continue to welcome any messages of solidarity or donations and many thanks to those that have already contributed.