Free Education: protesters’ bail extended and ‘party’ protest

Warwick for Free Education (WFFE) will be continuing their protest despite an injunction on three of their members, they said in a meeting last Thursday 8 January. This week, the society plans to throw vice chancellor Sir Nigel Thrift a ‘payday party’.

The meeting discussed the bail placed on three arrested campaigners: Luke Dukinfield, a second-year Chemistry undergraduate at Warwick; Alistair Robinson, an ex-presidential candidate at the University of Leicester; and Dan Dawson, a recent graduate and writer living in Coventry.

The campaigners will be prevented from taking part in any form of activism, their presence on campus will be restricted to only attending classes and they will be prohibited from communicating with each other. Failure to abide by this could lead to an arrest.

WFFE have made known their level of support for the arrested protesters as they accompanied them to Coventry Central Police Station on Monday 12 January where they were told that the conditions of their bail had been extended.

WFFE stated on their blog site that the extension “is a deliberate attempt to make their lives worse and force them into a situation where they will no longer protest”.

As part of their protest, WFFE have are hosting a ‘Thrifty’s payday party’ on Thursday 15 January 4pm at the Piazza. WFFE have publicised the vice-chancellors’ ‘payday party’ by plastering their Facebook page with multiple edited photos of Sir Nigel Thrift surrounded by balloons wearing party hats.

At the meeting on Thursday, the society claimed that it was a contradiction for a supposed left wing academic to earn more than a five to one ratio between its highest and lowest workers.

We think that’s jolly unfair. Nigel is a nice chap, and we want to celebrate that.

Their Facebook event states: “We think that’s jolly unfair. Nigel is a nice chap, and we want to celebrate that. So join us on Thursday 15th to reaffirm just how great our VC is, and how he is worth every penny.”

A video of a WFFE member approaching Nigel Thrift to ‘invite’ him to his ‘payday party’ has also been posted up. (see below)

The University has said it had no comment to make on the ‘party’.

Callum Cant, one of the leading members of WFFE and third-year Literature student, commented on the protesters’ bail: “The police have got into the habit of systematically using pre-charge bail as a form of political punishment. Those arrested have no chance to prove their innocence, and yet the police get to impose conditions which limit their human rights to freedom of expression and association.”

Mr Cant also said of the ‘payday party’: “it’s a tongue in cheek way of highlighting what are serious issues. The vice-chancellor’s pay is totally disproportionate, and shows that when universities become businesses selling education to customers it totally changes the way the institution works.”

The Senate House sit-in protests which took place on Wednesday 3 December 2014, resulted in the involvement of the police, who made arrests, utilised CS sprays and threatened the use of tasers. The protest also allegedly caused Senate House staff to come under attack, as well as £6000 worth of damage to Senate House.

Sir Nigel Thrift issued a statement of reassurance which detailed the University’s dedication to supporting the community and ensuring the safety of students and staff. The issue has sparked support from other universities and the Students’ Union.