Why I am occupying the University of Birmingham

This article is written by Left Unity member at the University of Birmingham, who is currently in the occupation but who has chosen to remain anonymous to avoid disciplinary action from the University.

 Last term hundreds of students undertook a massive eight day occupation of the University of Birmingham Senate Chamber with a list of ten demands, disrupting the operations of the university’s managers for over a week. Last November the university resorted to taking out an injunction at the cost of £33k to ban our occupation and calling in police and bailiffs to remove us by force. Only one of our 10 demands has so far been achieved (the demand for the removal of fee waivers and replacement with bursaries, providing far better access for working class students) so we have reoccupied to keep up the pressure on the university to make more concessions. Our demands can be read here.

There are five Left Unity members involved in the occupation who are students at the University of Birmingham. Another one of us who was in the last occupation but not this one is currently being taken through disciplinary proceedings by the university for the previous occupation and faces expulsion. This is why I feel forced to write this anonymously

 Myself and the other members of Birmingham Left Unity young members section believe organising occupations is a key task for us as Left Unity student members. We don’t believe that ultimately real change can simply be won by the ballot box. We know we need powerful extra-parliamentary struggles like strikes and occupations to force the state to concede.

 Too often left parties fall into the trap of becoming moderators between the movements which actually create change and the interests of the rich represented by other forces within the state apparatus. The risk of not having the ability to organise powerful mass action in the form of strikes, occupation and direct action is being currently demonstrated by the Greens in Brighton, who find themselves in power but only able to be the local administrators of Tory cuts.

 Change is a complex process which is why we are in Left Unity. While we don’t believe that change can be achieved solely at the ballot box – we recognise necessity in engaging with millions of voters who are looking for a political answer come elections. This May when the local elections start we will join with others in Birmingham Left Unity in door knocking but, in the mean time, strike – occupy – resist.

 Get in touch with us Birmingham@leftunity.org or call us 07412106504 .