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RightToProtest: Bail Conditions shackle Union Leader - Chalking

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Arrest at ULU for chalking. 'Save ULU' rally leads to arrest of president Chessum. University security were bolstered by around fifty police officer at last Wednesday’s rally. Photo: Oscar Webb • ‘Skirmish’ with police outside Senate House • ULU president seized for failing to warn police The president of the University of London Union (ULU), Michael Chessum, was arrested last Thursday under Section 11 of the Public Order Act after allegedly failing to notify police in advance of the ‘save ULU’ demonstration that he and others had organised for the day before.

Chessum was granted police bail late on Thursday 14 November with the condition that he must not “engage in protest on any university campus and or within half a mile boundary of any university”. Daniel Cooper, ULU vice-president, released a statement shortly after the arrest, stating: “This is a clear attack on the right to protest.

Between one and two hundred protesters attended the ‘Save ULU’ protest on Wednesday to fight the University of London’s (UoL) plans to shut down the union. Comments comments. @michael_chessum sur Twitter. THE: Police state actors | staff condemns. We the undersigned unreservedly condemn the arrest of Michael Chessum, president of the University of London Union, for allegedly organising a demonstration apparently contrary to the Public Order Act 1986. His arrest follows media revelations that Cambridge police officers have been attempting to pay undergraduates to inform on student “activists” and the arrest in the ULU building itself of a student involved with the 3Cosas Campaign.

We believe it is time to reiterate the basic position that universities are centres of learning and we condemn the police’s increasing role in stifling legitimate protest on university campuses. Click to rate 1 star out of 52 stars out of 53 stars out of 54 stars out of 55 stars out of 5 0 out of 5 stars. Police are cracking down on students – but what threat to law and order is an over-articulate history graduate? | Aditya Chakrabortty. Why are some of the most powerful people in Britain so terrified of a bunch of students? If that sounds a ridiculous question, consider a few recent news stories. As reported in this paper last week, Cambridge police are looking for spies to inform on undergraduate protests against spending cuts and other "student-union type stuff".

Meanwhile, in London last Thursday, a student union leader, Michael Chessum, was arrested after a small and routine demo. Officers hauled him off to Holborn police station for not informing them of the precise route of the protest – even though it was on campus. The 24-year-old has since been freed – on the strict condition that he doesn't "engage in protest on any University Campus and not within half a mile boundary of any university". Even with a copy of the bail grant in front of me, I cannot make out whether that applies to any London college, any British university – or just any institute of higher education anywhere in the world.

PRESS RELEASE: ULU President Michael Chessum Arrested. Defend the right to protest! University of London Union (ULU) President Michael Chessum was arrested today shortly after leaving a meeting with University of London management over the forced University takeover of the Union. It is understood that the arrest is in response to the demonstration organised by ULU yesterday by hundreds of students demanding the Union remain student-led.

The National Campaign Against Fees & Cuts (NCAFC) wishes to reiterate its full support Michael Chessum and the campaign to defend ULU. NCAFC also demands the immediate release of Michael Chessum, and for all charges against him to be dropped. It has also been revealed today by the Guardian that police in Cambridge have been attempting to recruit students as informants to spy on student union activities, and the activities of student environmental and anti-cuts groups. This follows a number of recent crackdowns on student demonstrations and a worrying increase in collusion between the police and our institutions. Defend the Right to Protest – Defend ULU President Michael Chessum! Stop the campus clamp down.

Yesterday ULU President Michael Chessum was arrested for failing to notify police of a procession called against the planned closure of ULU. (see: After been held for hours at Holborn police station, he has been released on bail conditions that ban him from protesting within half a mile of any university. CLAMP DOWN ON CAMPUSES: So err, the President of ULU is arrested for a protest against the closure of said union, and following police intervention, is barred from organising an effective campaign. This intimidation and obstruction of an elected student representatives ability to perform his job, is part of a wider clamp down on protest at universities which must be challenged. See Adam Ramsay’s piece in Open Democracy here: . Protest, Free Assembly and the Political Management of Austerity | Novara Media. Chalking trial adjourned after key CCTV footage not given to defence. • Student charged with criminal damage and assaulting police • Trial set to continue in February Police arresting the student in July.

Photo: Hubert Libiszewski The trial of a student who wrote in chalk on University of London property as part of a protest began this month, only to be adjourned after the defence said it had not received evidence it asked for. The defence for the 25-year-old from Camberwell asked the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for CCTV footage expected to show the cleaning of the university foundation stone on which she had written “sick pay, holidays, pensions now” using chalk.

It also requested information on how the figure of £600 for the cost of cleaning the stone was calculated by the university. However, defence lawyer Benjamin Newton told Tottenham Magistrates’ Court that neither were received in time for the start of the trial on 17 October. He said: “The way the CPS have dealt with it up until this point has been lamentable.” Comments comments. Chalking trial: video contradicts second police account. Ms Duff during her arrest on 16 July. Photo: Hubert Libiszewski • Footage disproves claim officer was kicked into van door • Prosecution and defence close, verdict due 25 February A police officer who claimed a student protester arrested for chalking on University of London (UoL) property had kicked her into a van door backtracked today after a court saw footage proving she had not. In a day of proceedings that saw defendant Ms K. Duff take the witness stand, and both prosecution and defence give closing speeches, police constable Siobhan O’Grady became the second officer in the trial to have their account of events contradicted by video.

PC O’Grady told Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court that Duff, 25, had assaulted her as she and two other officers tried to lift her into the back of a police van last July. She said: “My right leg took the full force of that kick which caused me to fall back and to the left, into the van door… It just really hurt at the time. Comments comments. Chalking Trial: police officer falsely claimed to witness assault. Ms Duff being arrested outside ULU on 16th July 2013 • Defence footage shows constables’ view was obstructed • Student was arrested after writing in chalk on UoL property A police constable falsely claimed to witness a student assaulting another officer because he was told to by colleagues, a court heard today. The defence for Ms K Duff, who was arrested after writing in chalk on University of London (UoL) property in July 2013, accused special constable David Inwood of “simply corroborating what you were told to” when he claimed to see her kick an officer in the leg.

Defence barrister Benjamin Newton showed Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court video footage in which SC Inwood is seen positioned behind a van door that obstructs his view of where he claimed to have seen Duff assault police constable Siobhan O’Grady on Malet St. After showing the clip, Newton told SC Inwood: “You didn’t see anyone get assaulted.” But Newton said Duff’s behaviour was “a classic example of passive resistance”. Chalking trial: student cleared of police assaults but found guilty of criminal damage. Ms K Duff, pictured during her arrest on 16 July, has been cleared of assaulting two police officers. Photo: Hubert Libiszewski • Ms K Duff ordered to pay £1,010 toward repair and prosecution costs • Verdict follows trial in which video contradicted police testimony A student protester arrested for chalking on University of London (UoL) property was today cleared of assaulting two police officers but found guilty of criminal damage.

Ms K Duff, 25, was found not guilty of assaulting special sergeant Liam Suter by kneeing him in the cheek as he and another officer attempted to handcuff her on 16 July last year inside the University of London Union (ULU). However, Duff was convicted of criminal damage by judge Nina Tempia for writing “sick pay, holidays, pensions now” and “support the cleaners struggle” in chalk on UoL’s foundation stone as part of the 3Cosas campaign which supports outsourced university workers. Special constable David Inwood also had his testimony disputed by video. Comments. A Semi-Open Letter to UoL, on the Occasion of Them Being Somewhat Unaccommodating of Student Protest | PDK Mitchell.

Director of Property and Facilities Management University of London Senate House Malet Street London WC1E 7HU 17 March 2014 Dear Sir, as teaching staff in the University of London and other august institutions of higher learning, we, the undersigned, have between us many years of experience in classroom writing technologies – from the traditional blackboard to the latest in interactive digital displays. Hearing that you had recently experienced some trouble involving chalk marks being made on your foundation stone, we pooled our collective knowledge and, after many strenuous hours of discussion, came up with what we humbly submit is the best possible solution to your problem.

Enclosed with this letter is a packet of six (6) cellulose sponge washcloths. Next time someone writes something in chalk on your building, simply fold the cloth two or three times, wet it thoroughly under warm, clean water, and wring it out. Next time, we suggest you use the cloth. Yours very sincerely, Dr. Dr. Dr. Chalking trial: academics attack 'vindictive' University of London in open letter. Academics have criticised UoL over the conviction of Ms K Duff, pictured during her arrest on 16 July. Photo: Hubert Libiszewski • Ms K Duff convicted of criminal damage for chalking on UoL foundation stone • Academics accuse UoL of an “attempt to suppress campus protest” Academics have attacked the University of London (UoL) over the criminal damage conviction of a student who wrote protest slogans in chalk on the university’s property.

In an open letter sent to UoL yesterday, 54 academics and teaching staff accused the university of “aggressively prosecuting” Ms K Duff, 25, who was arrested on 16 July last year for chalking “sick pay, holidays, pensions now” and “support the cleaners’ struggle” on its foundation stone. They described UoL’s actions as a “needlessly vindictive and wholly disproportionate attempt to suppress campus protest and intimidate any who might consider engaging in it.”

The spokesperson also insisted that “the university did not press charges against the individual”. Editorial: Thank you and goodbye? The future of LS. ULU is forecast to run out of money in March or, at the latest, April. London Student is allotted about £40k a year to run on; we’re running somewhat over this budget currently and it’s quite possible that we won’t have the money to print an eighth issue, so it’s time to ask the question: is this the last London Student of the year and, indeed, ever? The University of London has not yet said what exactly it plans to do with ULU and with London Student in the future. A detailed plan for their so-called ‘student centre’ has not yet been released. It’s possible that they will keep us as a ‘service’ but equally possible that we’ll be sent to the chopping block, or at least that’s what the university intends: whether we’ll lie down and meekly accept our fate is another question.

London Student has a long and colourful history, which dates back to at least the 1920s when we had a precursor called Vincula. We urge all readers of this newspaper to join the campaign to save ULU. Comments comments. Police tried to spy on Cambridge students, secret footage shows | UK news. Link to video: Police try to recruit activist to spy on Cambridge students and political groups Police sought to launch a secret operation to spy on the political activities of students at Cambridge University, a covertly recorded film reveals.

An officer monitoring political campaigners attempted to persuade an activist in his 20s to become an informant and feed him information about students and other protesters in return for money. But instead the activist wore a hidden camera to record a meeting with the officer and expose the surveillance of undergraduates and others at the 800-year-old institution. The officer, who is part of a covert unit, is filmed saying the police need informants like him to collect information about student protests as it is "impossible" to infiltrate their own officers into the university. The Guardian is not disclosing the name of the Cambridgeshire officer and will call him Peter Smith. Smith outlined what information Armstrong would be required to slip him. Daniel Cooper (ULUVicePresDLC) sur Twitter.