Alfred Stevens has been sleeping in the Roscoe Building for three days.

Day 4 in the Roscoe Occupation. The occupants woke up around 10am, it was a Saturday so they deserved a lie in, to find that overnight they’d received messages of solidarity from not only the ‘Bard of Barking’ Billy Bragg but also from the Linguistic master general himself Mr Noam Chomsky. These were in addition to many other messages of support which raised the spirits of the occupants who management have been trying to wear down through their no free access policy. The Roscoe occupation and the Edinburgh occupation are now the only two in the country that have not been granted free access by their University management.

This policy had caused the occupants such aggravation that a plan was hatched to sneak fresh people in who had thus far been kept out. It was decided that a ‘rally’ would be advertised on facebook to meet outside Manchester University Union at 3PM and that those that were there would be snuck in. Come around 4PM some supporters gathered outside the front of the building to chat to the occupants through the glass to distract security’s attention. Those who wanted to come in were then let in through a back door by one of the occupants, however security realised our plot, not before however the new faces were safely inside along with a resupply of food.

In reaction to our audacious scheme, the security guards decided to block the route to the back entrance with crates, a bin and a trolley, which we objected to as it restricted our access to the door which also served as a fire exit. A dilemma then presented itself as we drafted a press statement to send out that would highlight the length management was willing to go to enforce its no free access policy so far as to block a fire exit. It was however argued that this revelation could land the security guards, who we’d enjoyed a somewhat fraternal relationship with until this point, in trouble and even possibly endanger one of their jobs. In our original statement we expressed solidarity with all those who would be affected by the cuts including all university staff, the security especially who are themselves facing potential job losses and wage cuts. We decided to make our intentions known to security before we sent the statement out and they made it clear that even if we did send it out it was unlikely to make management concede to our free access demand as those who make the decisions were high up in the university management and at home for the weekend, probably drinking port, playing golf and cruising round in their jags and didn’t give a though to the occupiers. It was therefore decided that as the release of the statement would not win us free access and only damage our relationship with security that we would not release it.

We then had a discussion with security over our need for free access and they stated that they understood our predicament and were sympathetic to our cause but that those making the decisions were not available to make them and our good relations were restored. As it was realized however that no new people would be allowed into the occupation until Monday morning most of the group made it clear that they would be willing to stay until then to hold the occupation until it could be replenished.

It had also been decided during the day to send a delegate down to an organizing conference of occupations in London and that our delegate would push for the occupations to push for a general strike, support all UCU strike action and co-ordinate to build for another national day of action. Meetings were also held to organise for the national student strike day on Tuesday 30 November, here it was decided that an assembly would be held at University place at 12PM to head to head on and join the assembly of college and school students in Cathedral gardens at 1PM.

The day finished as the occupation settled down to watch Chris Moris’ excellent satire of modern terrorism, ‘Four Lions’, after which everybody retired to bed exhausted.

More updates will follow as and when they occur but for now express your messages of support for the Roscoe Occupation through their page on facebook, or twitter or on wordpress.
Strength and Solidarity.