If you don't already know about it, you should.
Thousands of teenagers have been protesting against the MPs voting for cuts in education, which would lead to a massive increase in tuition fees. This would raise the costs from a relatively manageable £3000 to a brutal £9000 per year.
On 8th Dec 2010, around 300 of Exeter's college and university students took to the streets for the third time, in a peaceful protest against the decision to raise tuition fees. The march began at 11:30am and went from the statue outside the main Exeter College campus, to Bedford Square in Princesshay, down Exeter High Street, along Queen Street and down to the University campus; we then marched into Lecture Theatre A in the Peter Chalk centre. By the time we entered University grounds, there were 144 of us, and we continued our protest long into the afternoon, and discussed a timetable, and ideas as to what should be done should the vote be cast against us.
By around 5pm the numbers had fallen to around 30; it had been decided that we were going to stay the night in the lecture theatre. Everyone contributed money into a collection pot that went on food. Lillian's mum brought two hot vegetarian casseroles, there were biscuits, noodles, soups, crisps and bread. The security staff brought us several crates of bottled water, and the atmosphere was lovely. Everyone was getting on well, chatting, drawing banners, updating blogs, Twitter & Facebook, before the majority of us settled between 12 and 3am.
MAHOOSIVE THANKS to Rob Edwards for keeping us organised, Donna Chasteau for bringing us hot food, the security guards for providing us with more than enough water, heating and lighting throughout the night, AND everyone who contributed towards food for everyone else, and make it such an enjoyable night.
It's 9:30am now (we're waiting for ITV!), and if the vote is cast against us, I imagine we'll be occupying again. Will update!
Thanks for reading! :)
