Breaking: DHT has been occupied

David Hume Tower in George Square has been occupied by students "standing in solidarity with striking lecturers."

The building was occupied by members of Edinburgh's Staff-Student Solidarity network in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

The University of Edinburgh has told The Edinburgh Tab they "are working with those involved to ensure their safety", however they "have a duty to the entire University community to keep any disruption to a minimum."

Occupiers have laid out four demands: "end casualisation, fair workload, end the race, gender and disability pay gap, fair pensions".

In a statement posted on Facebook, 'students of the occupation' said: "Students of the University of Edinburgh have occupied David Hume Tower in solidarity with striking workers. We will occupy the building until the demands put forward by the UCU have been met. Our demands are the UCU’s demands…

"We further condemn the university and the Home Office for forcing international PhD students and staff to cross the picket line. We demand the university take action against such racist and xenophobic policies.

"As students, we recognise that the conditions of all staff profoundly shape the learning conditions of all students. Our university and quality of education are in continual decline due to the policies of the UK government and University management. We are here as students to express that we will no longer accept the further marketisation and commodification of education and teaching. We contest the working conditions, employment contracts and the university’s policies that workers must endure.

"Our occupation is inclusive, democratic, liberatory and fundamentally anti-capitalist. We have taken this building peacefully and in good-faith. The building is open for students who are in solidarity with striking staff, and we are organising and running the occupation on the basis of a safe-space policy…"

Occupiers have been quick on the social media front. They've already set up an Instagram account, Twitter and Facebook page.

UCU Edinburgh and the Students' Association are aware and supportive of the action.

Doctor Kate Wright, Edinburgh University's Chancellor's Fellow in the Cultural and Creative Industries, posted on Twitter: "Student occupations have kicked off @EdinburghUni in support of #UCUstrike #UCUStrikesBack. Go students! We love you back."

A spokesperson for The University of Edinburgh told The Edinburgh Tab: "The University supports the right of people to protest lawfully and peacefully. We are working with those involved to ensure their safety and provide for their basic needs.

“While we understand the strength of feeling from many of our staff and students over the issues that have led to industrial action, we have a duty to the entire University community to keep any disruption to a minimum.”

The Student's Association sabbatical officer team told The Edinburgh Tab: "We support the right of our members to peaceful protest. The Students’ Association supports all those fighting for fairer pensions and equal pay and we are working to build solidarity between students and staff through joint events, supporting those who are on strike, visiting pickets and lobbying the University as well as national bodies to return to negotiations with UCU."

This is certainly not the first time an Edinburgh University building has been occupied.

During the UCU strikes in March last year, the Gordon Aikman Lecture Theatre (formerly George Square Lecture Theatre) became occupied by student activists.