We call on Mark E. Smith, Vice Chancellor of Lancaster University, to issue a public statement condemning the criminalisation and heavy-handed treatment of student protesters at the Universities of London, Sussex, Birmingham and Sheffield in November and December 2013. We call on our VC to demand that the VCs of these other institutions immediately drop all disciplinary actions and criminal charges against student protesters - without conditions. We also urge our VC to take leadership in expressing that universities should be a place of critical thought and learning, that encourage, value and safeguard students' political engagement.

We must protect the rights of students and staff to participate in democratic processes and to protest when their concerns are actively sidelined and ignored by management. Universities have a duty of care to their students and staff, and should not rely on heavy-handed policing to enforce their 'visions' for 21st century UK Higher Eductation in the face of controversy. The injunctions, suspensions, snooping and calling in of police at the universities of London, Sussex, Birmingham and Sheffield is a disgrace; the reports of police violence and blood on the pavements outside the University of London are deeply shocking. This sort of behaviour  must be opposed now, before political use of HE disciplinary apparatuses and police violence on campus become 'normalised'.

Further Info:

LUSU statement: http://lusu.co.uk/3423/statement-of-solidarity-to-ulu/

National Union of Students (NUS) statement:http://www.nusconnect.org.uk/news/article/nus/NUS-responds-to-incidents-at-student-protests/

University of London Union (ULU) statement: http://www.ulu.co.uk/news/article/6013/A-Statement-from-the-Union-Officers-of-University-of-London-Union/

 University of Sussex Student Union (USSU) statement: http://www.sussexstudent.com/news/index.php?page=article&news_id=274413

From The Guardian: http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/dec/05/three-arrests-student-protest-university-of-london