JOINT PRESS RELEASE: ESCALATION OF REPRESSION AS STUDENTS PLEDGE TO MOBILISE

• 14 students arrested at University of Birmingham following national mobilisatoin

• Students held in custody for over 24 hours.

• 2 students suspended from the University of Birmingham

• Excessive bail conditions given to students without charge

• 2 students denied bail and tried next day on violent disorder charges

Following a national demonstration on Wednesday 29th January 2014 at the University of Birmingham, fourteen students were arrested. Twelve students have been bailed until 26th March 2014, after being held in custody for over 24 hours. Two students have been charged with violent disorder and are to appear at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court at 10:00 today (Friday 31st January 2014). The students are being remanded in custody until their appearance. The charge of violent disorder carries a maximum sentence of 8 years in jail.

All but 2 of the students released last night have not been charged, although bail conditions imposed include:

-To live and sleep every night at their home address
-Not to enter any University or further education grounds or premises
-Not to meet publicly in groups of 10 or more people without police consent
-Not to associate with the other students arrested

On Wednesday, following a static demonstration and a banner drop from the Joseph Chamberlain clock tower, the protest entered the Great Hall. On leaving peacefully and of their own accord, hundreds of students were kettled in a courtyard outside the Aston Webb Building for between two and four hours, without access to food or water. When students were finally allowed to leave in pairs, West Midlands Police forced all students present their personal details. Some students refused to do so, and were subsequently arrested. In a recent High Court judgment, this action was found to be in breach of human rights legislation.

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