IT SEEMS the University of Wales isn't alone in heavy handedly employing Inspector Knacker to stifle free speech (see Eye 1130) as our supposed refuges of academic freedom are forced to cosy up to big business for funding.
Six students from Lancaster University are facing charges of aggravated trespass for taking part in a demonstration on their own campus. They were protesting against a "corporate venturing" conference organized by the university, which had speakers from BAE Systems, Shell and other companies which the students felt had records of environmental or human rights abuses.
After demonstrating outside the George Fox building, they took their protest inside the lecture theatre until they were removed by university security staff. They then continued their peaceful protest outside.
The students maintain that when police were called, officers told them at the time that they were not committing any offence. But last month - five months after the protest and to the students' utter disbelief- they received summonses to appear in court in September for alleged aggravated trespass, charges that can only have been instigated by the university. Local Green councillors have written to Lancaster's vice-chancellor, Prof Paul Wellings, urging him to drop the case and asking him what he thinks education is for if not to encourage people to express opinions.
So far there is no sign Lancaster is relenting. The students' only hope is that magistrates at least recognise what a waste of taxpayers' money it is to try to stifle debate and protest through the police and courts.
Private Eye 1144 (November 2005)
HOPES that the courts would stand up for free speech and academic freedom were dashed last month when six Lancaster University students (Eyes passim) were convicted of aggravated trespass for taking part in a demonstration on their own campus.
The six were protesting at a "corporate venturing" conference organized by the university with companies, including BAE Systems and Shell, the students claimed had a history of environmental or human rights abuses.
After protesting outside the lecture hall, the students entered the conference, briefly addressed the audience and handed out leaflets before they were removed by staff. Although the students maintain that when police were called by the university, officers told them they were not committing any offence, five months later they were summonsed for aggravated trespass.
Despite protests and appeals from academics, unions, lawyers, human rights groups and even some of those who were at the conference, Lancaster University pressed ahead. And after a four-day trial at Lancaster Magistrates' Court, District Judge Peter Ward said that while he accepted the students were neither obstructive nor intimidating, they were "disruptive". Each was given a two-year conditional discharge and ordered to pay ?300 costs.
Anxious that the use of the aggravated trespass laws to silence peaceful protest and free speech will now set a precedent to stifle political dissent, the students, backed by civil rights group Liberty, will take their case to appeal.
Private Eye 1155 (April 2006)
SO MUCH for free speech and academic debate. Six students from Lancaster University have failed to overturn their conviction for aggravated trespass for taking part in a demonstration on their own campus (Eyes passim).
The six were protesting at a "corporate venturing" conference organized by the university with the likes of BAe Systems, Shell and others whom the students claimed had a history of environmental or human rights abuses. The six entered the conference, briefly addressed the audience and handed out leaflets before they were removed by university staff who called the police. Despite protests and appeals from academics, unions, lawyers, human rights groups and even some of those who were at the conference, Lancaster University pressed ahead with the criminal case against its own students and so far has won.
