SOAS Students in Solidarity with Gaza

SOAS barged in the BBC offices and protested against the network's biased coverage of Israeli military's slaughter in Gaza.



They were forcefully removed by the police from the premises.



here is the entry by an SOAS member:

Called within just a few hours and hardly built at all, about 50 or 60 protesters turned up to BBC on Portland place to protest about the disgraceful decision not to air the DEC appeal.

We got there a bit early and decided to storm the entrance leaving the police behind. We immediately sat down, linked arms and started chanting. We had a lot of support from BBC staff entering the building (i hope they can pull of a strike over this) by sort-of sneaky thumbs up when no-one was looking. the video below shows a small quiet period but really, it had a very good impact. Loads of press turned up, I'm just waiting for the reports to stream in!!

I was on BBC World Service and had to deal with an idiot Zionist who tried, somehow, to tie in Iran and their supposed nuclear weapons!!
and in response to a press release by BBC:

(italics my own-there is a definite case of contradictory conscience/reporting here)

Around 20 (i would say there was 12 of us inside!!) campaigners from the Stop the War Coalition SOAS StW society walked into the lobby of the central London building with a large banner proclaiming Hands off Gaza (the only banner we could find!)

They were removed by police before continuing a noisy protest outside, during which some of them set fire to their television licences.

source: SOAS blog( http://soassolidarity4gaza.blogspot.com/)

Sussex university acceeds to Students' demands..... Sussex University Occupation declares victory.

Sussex university students staged an occupation of University buildings and presented a charter of demand to the University administration, which were accepted by university on second day of occupation.

Charter of Demand:

• Ethical investment/divestment
• Sanctions against Israeli goods and products sold on campus
• Scholarships for Palestinian students
• Support for Palestinian universities
• No reprisals against protesters
  

A full and detailed statement had been developed by the University in discussion with the students, in response to the six demands which the students presented. That statement –which is set out below in full – represents a positive response by the University to all the points made by the students, in particular through:

• confirming its ethical investment policy and reviewing its operation;
• seeking to create new scholarships for students from all areas affected by conflict or catastrophe, including Palestine;
• working with the students' union (USSU) and other UK HEIs to pass surplus educational materials to universities in Palestine.
• Detailed discussion involving USSU on how these are to be taken forward will follow, now that the action has ended.

The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Michael Farthing, has also said that the University, working with the students’ union, will now wish to look at these events and review how such matters are handled , so that the University can learn lessons from what has happened, in the interests of the whole Sussex community.

source: LSE Occupation Blog(http://lseoccupation.blogspot.com/)

Sussex University Blog: http://sussexoccupation.blogspot.com/

King's College, London. Occupation in Solidarity with Gaza

Students from the well reputed and world renkowned King's College London have started an occupation at their campus and have put a set of demand for the university administration.

Demands:

• REVOKE SHIMON PERES' HONORARY DOCTORATE- FREE GAZA
• Organise a fundraising day for Gaza
• Donate educational resources, scholarships to Palestinian students
• Start making links with Palestinian universities.

They organised a protest outside BBC, which they now dubb as Biased Broadcasting Company, fro biased coverage. Here is the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_JhdLK-H5U

Occupation Blog:
http://kcloccupation.blogspot.com/
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=58062638627&ref=mf

To show solidarity and agreement with their sense of justice for all and standing up for Humanitarian equality, please post your comments, thoughts on the blog page or email them to kcloccupation@gmail.co.

OXFORD UNIVERSITY STUDENTS OCCUPY BUILDING IN SOLIDARITY WITH GAZA

A group of around 80 Oxford students occupied the historic Bodleian Library at Oxford University today in support of Palestinians and to protest the university’s policies towards Israel, notably calling for divestment from Oxford’s stake in the British arms manufacturer BAE Systems, a statement of support from the university in reaction to Israel’s bombing of the Islamic University in Gaza, and the cancellation of a series of lectures inaugurated by Israeli President Shimon Peres (which the students had earlier staged a protest against). They are also asking for scholarships to be created for Palestinian students and support for Palestinian academia.

Their full statement is after the jump. The students have a blog, Occupied Oxford, a Twitter feed and a YouTube page with videos of the occupation of the library.

The building occupation was ended after ALL of the demands from university administration were met.

Political involvement of students is rising, and this brave, non-violent & peaceful act by a group from oxford shows student activism can make a differrence!

source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/oxfordshire/7844890.stm

http://arabist.net/archives/2009/01/22/oxford-students-occupy-bodleian-library-in-solidarity-with-palestinians/

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2009/jan/23/student-protests-gaza