Student tuition fee increases - UCL occupation ends, but protesters vow to ‘fight on’

Published: 16 December 2010
by TOM FOOT

STUDENTS occupying University College ­London packed their bags and left the Jeremy Bentham Room peacefully on Friday – to a heroes’ salute from lecturers.

Around 200 students marched out of the building to applause from academics and staff at around 4pm, rallying in the main quad and departing to the Jeremy Bentham pub in Huntley Street for a celebratory drink.

The student collective had spent two weeks protesting against the government’s controversial higher education reforms.

Despite the legislation being voted through last Thursday, the mood was triumphant.

Political research student Matthew Hall said: “It has been a massive movement – one of the most beautiful things I have been involved in. We have changed the debate and refused to be interpreted in the traditional way. This wave of occupations is just the beginning. We will go on fighting.”

The occupation had agreed to leave the building after UCL won an application for a possession order – required by landlords to evict unruly tenants – following a hearing in the London County Court last Tuesday and Wednesday.

UCL took legal action after the occupation extended to the Slade School of Fine Art and chalk messages appeared on the walls of listed buildings in the main quad.

Two students – Sarah Crane-Brewer and Frank Harris, both 19 – represented the occupation in court and were told to pay £40,000 in legal fees incurred by UCL.

But after the occupation disbanded peacefully on Friday, a spokesman for UCL said: “An agreement was reached with the occupiers that UCL would not pursue costs if they vacated the buildings by 4pm and this has been adhered to, so UCL will be not be pursuing the costs it has incurred. 

“We are still however in talks regarding a contribution with regard to the cost of removing the extensive quantity of graffiti all over the main quad.”