Bath Students in Show of Solidarity with UWE #FreeEducation Occupation

This afternoon, members of Bath Students Against Fees and Cuts travelled to the UWE Frenchay Campus Lecture Theatre 2B025 to show solidarity with Free Education UWE and drop off some goodies and bottled water.

Students from Free Education UWE have been occupying the lecture theatre since Monday, in opposition to tuition fees, police brutality towards student protestors in Britain and elsewhere, and in support of Free Education. They would also like to see an end to the university's connections to the arms trade, which has long been a cause for concern for UWE students.

Bath Students Against Fees and Cuts at the Free Education UWE occupation this afternoon

Bath Students Against Fees and Cuts found the UWE occupiers in good spirits. The lecture space is occupied 24 hours a day, however disruption to lectures in the theatre have been kept to a minimum. On Friday a day of free lectures is planned and is open to all.

We had a chat with one of the UWE occupiers about how things are going. They told us : "This has been a chance to get students together, particularly first year students, who make up the majority of the students involved. The occupation will end this week due to the Christmas break, but when we come back the campaign will continue with regular meetings, looking towards further action."

Members of Bath Students Against Fees and Cuts are intending to join with other Free Education activists from around the country at the National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts (NCAFC) conference in Manchester at the weekend, and promise to continue the fight into the new year, with plans for further actions in work.

Flyer from Free Education UWE

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UWE #FreeEducation Occupation

Following a national demonstration in London on November 19th and subsequent occupations, blockades and marches over the last week throughout the country, including Bath and Warwick, students at the University of the West of England (UWE) have occupied a lecture room in a demonstration in support of free education and an end to tuition fees as well, as an end to police brutality of protestors in America, Mexico and the University of Warwick. The occupiers issued a statement earlier this evening:

UWE Free Education statement of occupation 

Students at the University of the West of England have gone into occupation in support of Free Education for all. Education is a human right that has increasingly been annexed off by the political elite for the privileged few, for those able to take on the £44,000 worth of debt that an undergraduate degree incurs. In protesting this system over the past week students at Warwick University have been met with police brutality, pepper sprayed and threatened with tasers; students at Sheffield University have been illegally and dangerously locked into their occupation, with security blocking fire exits with the use of chains and padlocks.

Bristol’s students are united in solidarity with their comrades nationally and across the world that are standing up for their rights, and resisting oppression by the elite. We send our full hearted support to the students of Mexico who live in constant fear of being abducted and killed for demanding what is theirs and those in the United States suffering and resisting police brutality.

Join us in lecture room 2B025 to stand up for:
• Free Education
• Cancellation of student debt
• Unconditional student grants
• Our freedom to protest
• A living wage and fair conditions for all staff who work for UWE directly or indirectly
• Divestment of arms trade connections
• Police off campus
Universities are not factories, nor prisons. Knowledge is not a consumer product and we are not your clients.

Twitter: @UWEFreeEd
Facebook: www.facebook.com/FreeEducationUWE

In other #FreeEducation news, the National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts (NCAFC) have announced a conference for student #FreeEducation activists and supporters in Manchester this weekend. http://anticuts.com/register-2014/

Over in Bath, after a heavy week of campaigning, blockading and marching, Bath Students Against Fees And Cuts are holding an open meeting today (Tuesday, 9th December) at 7.30pm in The Westgate to discuss future actions.

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Bath Public Toilet Occupation: Day 4

Twerton Toilet Occupation

It's official: As of 8pm today the occupation of the Twerton public toilets has ended. After spending 3 nights in the toilet and collecting 2000 petition signatures online and a further 400 outside the toilets, Lin Patterson has left the building. On hearing the news, Occupy Bath posted on Facebook: "BREAKING NEWS - Lin has ended the occupation! She just informed us over the phone and said that she has accomplished what she set out to do. Lin will be appearing as a guest on Daybreak on ITV on Monday morning. The petition is now at 1983 signatures and additionally there are around 400 signatures on a paper petition collected outside the toilets. Well done Lin!!!"

Earlier today, Lin issued the following statement: "A big thank you to all 38 Degrees people who have signed the petition to save our public toilets in Bath. You are amazing. Please ask your family, friends and work colleagues to sign the petition and continue to share it by e-mail, Facebook, Twitter and other social media.

http://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/keep-our-public-toilets-open

Both Councillors for Twerton have visited outside the toilets and it seems there may be 2 rays of hope - but nothing is certain , so it would NOT be wise to think the Twerton toilets are safe yet.

First, the disabled toilet is the only wheelchair accessible one in the area, even the football ground has been relying on it to fulfill their statutory obligation to provide equal access. So an Equalities Impact Assessment has been called for, which MAY keep the toilets open for 3 months - possibly.

Then negotiations are going on with nearby establishments. This is possibly the football ground or Morrisons, who have bought the old Blockbuster building, to subsidize the existing toilets and hold the RADAR key for the disabled cubicle. So a lot of maybes.
In the meantime the community can keep up the pressure, now that more people are aware.

So many times today and yesterday, I wished I could film the passion and clarity of those who approached to sign, and their outrage over the possibility of closure.

A couple of 14 year old girls held the fort with the petition table for an hour while I took a much needed nap. They counted the signatures, which now total 309 in 2 days.

Considering most of those people were either using the loo or making a special trip, that is phenomenal. So between the 2 petitions in 2 days, we've topped 2000. Has this happened in Bath before? Sometimes you can be almost overcome by the goodness of people. Let's hope the council will recognize the changed landscape."

Councillor David Dixon, to whom the petition is addressed said "Once I have received the petition I can ensure a full response"

Standing Stone's Blog will report on the outcome of the petition when the time comes.

Congratulations Lin, and well done for standing up for ordinary people.

More on this story:
Day 1: http://standingstonesblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/bath-resident-occupies-twerton-public.html
Day 2: http://standingstonesblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/bath-public-toilet-occupation-day-2.html
Day 3: http://standingstonesblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/bath-public-toilet-occupation-day-3.html 

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Bath Public Toilet Occupation: Day 3

Twerton Public Toilet Occupation

The Twerton Toilet Demo has seen a successful third day. On Wednesday, Lin Patterson begun the occupation of a public toilet that was due to be closed for good yesterday. Since then her petition on the 38 Degrees website has grown to over 1800 signatures and Lin has been featured in the local and national news.

Earlier today, Lin was stood outside the toilet answering questions from the public. Other Bath residents have joined in by collecting several hundred paper signatures. Local taxi drivers have also been very supportive, telling Lin that they regularly stop to use those toilets. A Twerton resident with mobility difficulties commented "I have great difficulty getting to the shops and back. If I get caught short while doing my weekly shopping, I can't just run home like a normal person. I need these toilets to stay open". It has also come to the attention of the demonstrators that Twerton public toilets are the only loos in that region of Bath with disabled access.

Lin has been overwhelmed by the amount of public support. She was stunned when a woman drove all of the way from South Gloucestershire today just to see her. Lin has been passing Occupy Bath updates to post on their Facebook page. Earlier today she commented "What an incredible response to the 38 Degrees petition! Every signature represents 10 others who are disabled, young, busy carers, elderly with medical or mobility problems and the list goes on. We need the council to take down the closure signs and acknowledge their closure plans were unreasonable. I have a friend who absolutely relies on these toilets, which really brings it home. Today has seen a media frenzy which hopefully will generate even more signatures so the council will have to act."

Lin's petition can be found at: http://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/keep-our-public-toilets-open

More on this story: 
Day 1: http://standingstonesblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/bath-resident-occupies-twerton-public.html
Day 2: http://standingstonesblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/bath-public-toilet-occupation-day-2.html
Day 4: http://standingstonesblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/bath-public-toilet-occupation-day-4.html

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Bath Public Toilet Occupation: Day 2

Twerton Toilet Protest

Yesterday Bath resident Lin Patterson began an occupation of a public toilet due to be closed by the council today. The toilet remains open and Lin has attracted the attention of the local media, including the Bath Chronicle and the BBC, and was on BBC Points West this evening talking about the campaign.

Since her occupation began yesterday, her petition on the 38 Degrees website has reached over 1000 signatures. This afternoon she commented:

"1000 signatures in just over a day is absolutely amazing! What it means is that we can prevail upon the council to have a debate based on achieving 1000 signatures on a petition to keep the toilets open. I have to thank every single person who took the trouble to sign the petition and please tell your friends and groups to do the same.

I would also like to thank a man named Adie Rawlings who single-handedly gathered almost 200 signatures on a paper petition.

The community is getting involved!"

Lin says that she intends to continue the occupation for at least a few more days.

The protest has seen support from Occupy Bath and many members of the public, many of whom were unaware that the council were closing down toilets in the city. 

Political comedian Mark Thomas, who performed in Bath last week, has added his support to the campaign by tweeting the petition, and called Lin's protest "brilliant".

The petition can be found at: http://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/keep-our-public-toilets-open

More on this story:
Day 1: http://standingstonesblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/bath-resident-occupies-twerton-public.html
Day 3: http://standingstonesblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/bath-public-toilet-occupation-day-3.html 
Day 4: http://standingstonesblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/bath-public-toilet-occupation-day-4.html

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Bath Resident Occupies Public Toilet in Protest Against Closures

 

Twerton Toilet Protest

(updated 22:30 31/7/13)
Late Wednesday afternoon, (31^st July 2013) Lin Patterson, 67, took a sleeping bag, fresh water and supplies and occupied the public toilets in Twerton, Bath. The local council want to close the toilets permanently the next day in order to save £8,289 per year.  It is one of three public toilets closing that day in Bath (Combe Down and Peasedown are the others).

Local residents attended a demonstration at 6pm outside the toilets in support and as a last minute attempt to save their toilets.  One father of a young boy said,” I didn’t even know the toilets were closing.  I bring my young son here often, because you know how it is with young children.” When it was pointed out that a sign had been posted on the toilets announcing the closure, he said “I didn’t even notice that.”

Lin has been campaigning to keep the public toilet open in Larkhall, the other side of Bath, where an extension has been granted until April while local councillors and officers try to find commercial subsidy.

She said, “I am occupying these toilets for three reasons.  There was some good campaigning by Twerton people to keep the toilets open, with a petition of 97 signatures handed in and another petition of at least 50 signatures gathered, but many people in Twerton still do not know our toilets are closing, and we need to know and mobilise. 

The second reason is that although I have been campaigning to save the Larkhall toilets, people need all these facilities. We are stronger if we work together. So this widens and intensifies the campaign. 

The third reason is to put this in the context of cuts that are unnecessary, unreasonable and unwanted by people who can vote. The priorities are wrong nationally and locally, with huge capital budgets for massive projects that primarily serve vested interests. I start with local toilets, which serve one of our most basic human needs, where closure hurts the most vulnerable, elderly, women, children and disabled people.”

When asked how long she would occupy the toilets, she answered, “We will see.”  People in Bath can support their toilets by signing the e-petition at: http://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/keep-our-public-toilets-open

A local resident took a video of the occupation, below.

 

Councillor David Dixon, to whom the petition is addressed, was unsympathetic to the occupation, commenting on the Occupy Bath Facebook Page "Seriously, you are occupying some loos. They will start to smell after a few weeks. If you fancy cleaning them, opening and locking up each day, that would be great. Enjoy!" Perhaps he will take the issue more seriously when he realises that people actually care about this issue in this city.

Occupy Bath were keen to stress that this is not one of their actions but that they are supporting it by getting word out.

This evening Lin issued the following update: "9pm on my first night occupying the Twerton Public Toilets. The cubicle is all laid out with folded over air mattress, books perched on a handrail, even some artificial flowers to brighten it up. People have been very interested. When they see the big "Occupied" banner they are astonished to learn their toilets are due to close tomorrow. It's quiet, with just the gulls and traffic from the main High Street a block away. But tomorrow I hope we'll see a buzz develop as the Twerton Market sets up in the morning. I have placards ready for people if they want their photo taken defending their right to public toilets"

David Dixon also mentioned that there is talk of Bath Football Club providing toilets in Twerton, but it appears that there is no definite replacement.

More on this story:
Day 2: http://standingstonesblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/bath-public-toilet-occupation-day-2.html
Day 3: http://standingstonesblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/bath-public-toilet-occupation-day-3.html 
Day 4: http://standingstonesblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/bath-public-toilet-occupation-day-4.html

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