News and analysis

On Tuesday 11^th
January, Edward Woollard, an 18-year-old A-level student from Hampshire, was
sentenced to 2 years and 8 months imprisonment for dropping a fire-extinguisher
from the Millbank Tower during the student protest on the 10^th
November 2010. Whilst we cannot and should not condone the actions of Woollard,
it is clear that the courts – along with the government – are clearly trying to
make an example of this individual student as a threat to any future
protestors.

In response to the 10th November demonstration, students across the
country decided to go into occupation. Before Christmas there were 30 of
such occupations. Coupled with the increasingly militant demonstrations
against the Government’s attacks on education, these university
occupations are hugely significant in so far as they have radicalised
not only students at the occupied universities but also school students
and even people outside of education.

The events of the past two months represent an important shift in the
consciousness of British students. Having grown up knowing only
economic boom, previously labelled as “apathetic” by the media, stood up
and made their voices heard. Their message is simple and has found an
echo across many layers of society: “We will not be forced to pay for a
crisis we did not cause!” This wave of protests and occupations has
swept even the most deeply entrenched prejudices of the last period from
the political landscape, leaving many (both on the right and the left)
trailing in its wake.