Video: Student Protesters Occupy Exam Schools

Protesters rail in solidarity with lecturers


Student protesters have marched into Exam Schools and staged a sit in this afternoon.  Scroll down for video.

All quiet on the outside

Students from a variety of different organisations walked down the High Street and straight into the Grade II listed building.

Protesting in solidarity with their lecturers (some of whom are on strike today), the students walked in unopposed and at the time of writing remain in the main atrium of the building.

Akehurst (in orange) addressing the crowd

The protest, which began at the Carfax Tower at 2PM, is supported by OUSU President Tom Rutland.  He emailed the entire student body on Wednesday night to encourage people to attend.

“Halloween costumes are optional,” he said.

Business as usual

Once inside the building the protesters handed around chocolates and took it in turn to speak through a megaphone.  Security staff at the building watched on helplessly, whilst The Tab spotted one police patrol car outside in which an officer was quaffing a Krispy Kreme doughnut.

A student addresses the crowd

At the protest we spoke to Nathan Akehurst, who told us “We think a 13% pay cut over the last 5 years is unjust and unnecessary.  This is a student issue as much as a staff issue.

“Nobody is in charge, so we’ll stay as long as everyone wants to,” he said.