About 3,000 students demonstrated in London on 11 December as part of the "Cops off campus" national day of action, and many more around the country. Students at Manchester and Aberdeen universities went into occupation. (For reports and pictures from across the country, see the National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts website.)
I think the day was a success. We reclaimed the University of London campus, effectively violating the injunction against occupations by occupying the SOAS campus, and breaking into the Senate House compound. Whereas last week the police harassed and beat students, on the 11th they were nowhere to be seen in Bloomsbury, and were mocked and harassed when they came into contact with protesters later.
We marched to the Royal Courts of Justice, to demand justice for Mark Duggan, whose inquest was expected to reach a verdict that day. Later, groups demonstrated and took direct action all over the capital. No reports of arrests at the time of writing!
So much for the idea that such demonstrations "require" heavy policing or any policing at all. Over the last two weeks, police presence has resulted in major violence (by the police). No police there: no violence.
Partly this was a PR and tactical move by the Met, but it was also a victory for us.
11 December was organised at less than a week's notice, by a broad coalition of student activists and groups. It was a significant blow against police and university management repression, against capital's agenda for reshaping our universities - and in support of education workers' struggles. The day before the protest, University of London workers organised in the Independent Workers of Great Britain (IWGB) trade union and the 3 Cosas campaign announced that they will strike again in January.
As Christmas approaches, we need to discuss keeping the action going next term. That’s why activist groups are working together to organise a demonstration and conference in Birmingham on 29 January.
The conference will allow us to discuss the way forward for this struggle. It should be possible to get sponsorship and involvement by a very wide range of local groups and national activist networks, because the fight so far has already involved many different organisations. This is an invaluable opportunity to build a united front on the issues involved in the struggle, and break down some of the entrenched sectarianism of the British student left.
Meanwhile, though the holiday is intervening, activists should get meetings organised on their campuses — this year or early next year, through existing anti-cuts or activist groups or ad hoc — to discuss the campaign. If you can get student union endorsement and promotion of such meetings, great.
We need to get the message out the widest possible layers of students and workers, through public meetings, mass leafleting and so on.
Without in any way relying on NUS or having any illusions in its leadership, we should demand they do what they’ve said they will and support the struggle. That means actual financial and legal support, and it means seriously using NUS networks to mobilise for events. We should also demand the NUS leadership drops its equivocation and defends University of London Union against being shut down.
We need to fight for NUS, our student unions and our whole movement adopt demands that mean police operations of any size are banned from campuses. When we say say "Cops off campus", we should mean it.
We need to build on and deepen the links with campaigns against police violence and racism which students have been developing.
Beyond all that, we need to focus on the political questions about how capital is reshaping our universities, and on the frontline of the fight against the capitalist offensive in education — workers’ struggles.
It is the national higher education workers’ fight over pay and the IWGB/3 Cosas outsourced workers’ dispute in London which have inspired this wave of students’ struggles. And in turn students’ response has inspired and encouraged workers in their fight. “Students and workers unite and fight” is becoming a reality. We need to push that forward.
Outsourced workers at University of London will strike again for pensions, job security and union recognition on 27, 28 and 28 January. This is a massive deal. We need the biggest possible student participation in their picket lines and demonstrations in London, and solidarity mobilisation across the country. I’d like to see a National Day of Action with a focus on supporting 3 Cosas.
Let’s not miss the fact that the level of police and management repression at University of London is precisely because the outsourced workers’ struggle has made such an impact. In that respect, UoL management must be seriously worried. This is a fight we can win - with big knock-on effects for other workers' and students' struggles.
More generally, student activists need to deepen and extend our links with workers and their unions on campus, and prepare to take action together and in support of each other.
If we keep up and develop the momentum of this struggle, we can push the police off our campuses, revive the student movement, drawing in new activists, and make a real contribution to workers turning the tide against the ruling class and the Coalition. Let's keep up the momentum and discuss and debate the way forward.
Report in London Student newspaper
Here.