After UWE security threatened students with police action early morning yesterday, a member of the group commented, “I am pleased to say that so far the occupation seems to have formed a decent co-operative relationship with the security.” Security remained vigilant of the group yesterday but did not make any more threats to move the group along.

The arranged meeting at 5.30pm yesterday evening was to consisted of “a talk from speaker and film-maker Ed Hill, a speaker and delegate from the teachers union (NUT) Dick North and a teacher from the local Filton High School, Tracy Dodds who has recently suspended the National Curriculum for two days in order to educate its pupils on the ongoing conflict in Gaza.”

UWE’s occupying students claim in the course of yesterday to have “placed 500 posters and banners in and around the two main campuses of the University, St Mathias & Frenchay, for the meeting.” The group had high expectations for their 5.30pm meeting at 3.30 pm yesterday afternoon and were not disappointed.  

After the meeting the protesters stated, “The attendance of the meeting was approaching 80 at times, which for this university was astounding for many of the long time campaigners which have only experienced extremely poor turn outs in the past.” The occupiers felt that the discussion which followed the meeting “reaffirmed the overwhelming support from the students for the occupation.”

 

The group then proceeded to take over the lecture theatre 2b25, in which the meeting was held. The group formally stated, “we as students will stay here and refuse to vacate this lecture theatre until our demands are met. We will continue with our policy of causing no disruption to education at any time, and will politely ask the lecturers for two minutes at the start of each lecture to explain our cause.”