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A GROUP OF some 50 students at the London School of Economics have occupied a room at the university – and they’ve handed management a long list of demands they want addressed before the protest is called off.
Their key demand is that the university – one of the most prestigious in the UK – should offer “free and universally accessible education not geared to making profit”.
Dozens of students with ‘Occupy LSE’ used bicycle locks to barricade themselves into the Vera Anstey Suite, near management offices, on Tuesday evening.
The final decision to go ahead with the demo was made following two meetings, on Monday night and on Tuesday morning – Sinead Mercier, a Co Galway law student at LSE, told TheJournal.ie.
“We demand that the management of LSE lobby the government to scrap tuition fees for both domestic and international students,” a list of demands published online said.
The list also contains a demand for improved workers rights for LSE workers, one for the creation of a new student-staff council, and a demand for changes to the college’s harassment policy.
The following is also included:
We demand that the school cuts its ties to exploitative and destructive organisations, such as those involved in wars, military occupations and the destruction of the planet. This includes but is not limited to immediate divestment from the fossil fuel industry and from all companies which make a profit from the Israeli state’s occupation of Palestine.
Students have been staying in the administration room for the past two nights. Mercier said many intended to stay tonight as well, and that the protest was likely to continue indefinitely – depending on whether or not the group’s various demands are met.
Four representatives are meeting management this evening, in what’s the first such formal interaction. Another meeting is planned tomorrow.
“Our plan is to make our demands as loudly as possible,” Mercier said, adding that more and more students had joined the protest over the last 48 hours or so.
She said there was a largely positive reception within the college, and that security staff had been tolerant of their presence.
“On Tuesday evening a group of approximately 20 students occupied the Vera Anstey Room in the Old Building at #LSE, highlighting a broad range of demands relating to higher education,” a statement from the university said, on Facebook.
“LSE was founded for the betterment of society and it is clear that this principle continues to be a guide for many of our students.
“Exchanges between the group and LSE security have been positive.”
I know our politicians aren’t anything to brag about but I would be horrified if our elections went down this extremely childish route. It’s literally Hollywood.
Our politicians are like something out of The League of Gentlemen.
That’s America Deborah!
Trump is a populist wank. Cruz is the real deal nut job. A neo nazi that “talks” to Jesus.
Either you don’t know what a neo Nazi is, or you don’t know what a Constitutional Conservative is. Ted Cruz opposes increasing the power of the federal government. He supports religious freedom. He has campaigned against elements of the Patriot Act. He is against Common Core in education. He supports private health care. He opposes any policy that doesn’t conform to the Constitution (that is very much in the Libertarian tradition). If he is a neo Nazi, he might want to dust off Mein Kampf, because he is doing it wrong. Also, can you please provide a clear example of Cruz claiming to literally be talking to God. Not a “I feel God’s presence” or “holy spirit” talk. But a clear example of Cruz saying “I have had a conversation with God, and he told me to do….”
Not exactly him talking to god but creepy none the less. His wife also gave an interview claiming Cruz will reveal the face of god. I hope it’s Morgan Freeman. It’s just what I’m used to.
He supports increasing the power of the Federal government to ban abortion and ban gay marriage TK
@Tony Kennedy. You see, Tony, what I did there was to reduce Cruz’s whole being, through the use of a one line summation. It’s the same technique your hero Crus uses to reduce Gay people, pro-Choice liberals, Mexicans, poor people, and people who have a basic human right not to believe in the religious fairy tales that inspire him, and that he wants to rule non believers lives by. He is a neo-Nazi, by the way.
First of all Cruz is not my hero. Secondly opposing gay marriage does not make you anti-gay. It means you support the traditional family. And he doesn’t want to increase the power of the federal government to stop gay marriage. Quite the opposite, he believes that is a states rights issue. In terms of Abortion, most people appear pro life compared to extremists such as Clinton and Sanders, both of which support late term abortion and partial birth abortion. So yes opposing the murder of the unborn child is the responsibility of the Federal government. Wanting stricter border controls with Mexico doesn’t mean he hates Mexico. It means he recognizes the significant problems illegal immigration causes. Not to mention, he actually supports mechanisms for a path to legal status for law abiding illegal immigrants. Finally, in no way does he want to rule people by religious law. He is a CONSTITUTIONAL CONSERVATIVE. The US Constitution is not a religious document.
One man’s Constitutional Conservative, in US terms, is another man’s Neo-Nazi. Cruz’s foreign policy positions are fascist. Read up. He is against peace with Iran and Cuba. He is a climate change denyer. He is a frigging nightmare. And worst of all, he genuinely considers himself to be revealing the face of “God”, whatever that is.
Well I never, a politician being accused of telling lies before an election ?
Just happy it does not happen here
Are these “candidates” trying to become president of a country or are they having a kindergarten fight??? It makes our government mess here slightly and only slightly less embarrassing.
Yeah, I’m terrified. ffs
Funny place to have a genital wart lol.
Republican party are in dismay, wouldn’t be surprised to see a big vote for a 3rd party
The entire system (read: media) is designed so that third party candidates don’t have a hope. Only the primaries for the two mainstream parties receive any coverage, only the candidates from the two mainstream parties are invited to debates. It would be a struggle for any non-GOP/Dem candidate to even have his name seem familiar to the electorate, nevermind actually win a sizeable vote.
They are not allowed media coverage…
This time round though the GOP can throw their entire weight behind the 3rd party candidate. Mitt or Bloomberg for example. Then Paul Ryan decides the next president if the electoral college is not reached
The Journal is nearly as bed – it’s a sh^&ty ad alright but terrifying? Hardly.
I’d be concerned at what these young journalists are being forced to print TBH
He is some geezer alright !
These GOP guys all dodged the draft to stay home and instead went to war against the women of America..
None of them actually dodged the draft. They got exemptions to stay and study just like Sanders. I agree with you about the way they treat women though
So Democracy is the only way, Freedom and all that, everything measured in $s, the American dream is turning sour when these clowns get to the top of the political ladder.
Trump thinks he’s better than all previous Presidents although he does give a bit of credit to Abraham Lincoln, FFS.
This is what happens when the politics of fear trumps the politics of hope and aspiration.
Must it be either? Is realism regarded as extreme politics now?
Fear is a powerful manipulative technique. When fear buttons are pressed political standards descend to a low level. Highly reactionary and conservative types tend to be easily manipulated by fear, insecurity and seek authoritarian and repressive “solutions”. The problem is that too many of the Republican presidential candidates are playing a similar manipulative game.
Yeah, whereas Liberals and “Democratic Socialists” embrace comprehensive policies like “free education for everyone” and “tax the rich”. I suggest you cast a glance at the Socialist paradise of Venezuela to see real repression and authoritarianism in action.
In fairness to John Kasich, he has tried to stay above the name calling stuff. He is a pragmatic Conservative with an impressive record in various levels of Government since the Regan Administration. At the debates he has stuck to policy and has been all but ignored. He knows these upcoming states are vital so he has to garner publicity.
John Kasich can’t even win. He’s just staying in to take as many delegates off Trump as he can
True. He is hoping for a brokered convention, as are Rubio and Jeb, and the mainstream Republican party.
Stay Classy M’urica…
Continually demonstrate why many deem them the world’s most stupid people
Trump your family work aligned with the Nazis, bring it on. I have nothing bring it on
Sick and tired of Trump mounting off, come on already, a bit of common sense.
It is a GMO Hotdog?
Sir Marty sounded so plausible.
As this is a super PAC ad the candidate is allowed to have no input in how they spend their funds directly or indirectly
“Make America once-up-on-a-time Great Again”.
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