Press release - 15 March 2012 00:01

NUS CONDEMNS EXCESSIVE SUSPENSION FOR CAMBRIDGE PROTESTER

The National Union of Students (NUS) today condemned the decision to suspend student Owen Holland for 2 and a half years for his involvement in a protest against Universities Minister David Willetts in November 2011.

Echoing calls by Cambridge University Students’ Union for the sentence to be quashed, NUS said that it was vital that the right to protest was defended at a time when government changes to public services were affecting so many people.

Liam Burns, NUS President, said:

“Peaceful protest is fundamental to any democratic nation and when no laws are broken there is no reason for such a disproportionate punishment.

“I’m sure Mr Willetts himself would agree that universities should be encouraging the voicing of critical opinions rather than attempting to silence them. The government's changes to higher education have been profound and no-one should be surprised that students will take issue with them.

“It’s clear that this decision does not reflect the wishes of the student body and has unfairly singled out an individual to make an example of.

“This outrageous sentence should be immediately reversed and the university should make it clear that it will not punish such peaceful protest in the future.”

ENDS

Regions

England

NUS (National Union of Students) is a voluntary membership organisation which makes a real difference to the lives of students and its member students' unions.

We are a confederation of 600 students' unions, amounting to more than 95 per cent of all higher and further education unions in the UK. Through our member students' unions, we represent the interests of more than seven million students.

Contacts

Will Hoyles

Press contact NUS UK Press Officer will.hoyles@nus.org.uk 07866 695010

Alex Jones

Press contact Press and Public Affairs Manager alex.jones@nus.org.uk

Mike Heffron

Press contact NUS Scotland Campaigns and Communications Officer mike.heffron@nus-scotland.org.uk 07554 451941

Joni Alexander

Press contact NUS Wales Campaigns and Communications Officer joni.alexander@nus-wales.org.uk 07966 102363

Ian Williamson

Press contact NUS-USI (Northern Ireland) Policy and Public Affairs Officer ian.williamson@nistudents.org 028 9024 4641

NUS UK Switchboard

Press contact 0845 5210 262

NUS CONTINUES CAMPAIGN AS ARCADIA AGREE TO PAY INTERNS

The National Union of Students (NUS) today welcomed the decision by Arcadia to retrospectively pay interns who had previously been unpaid but has continued its actions against other companies that exploit unpaid labour with a protest outside the Calvin Klein store on Regent Street in London.