Apple Town Free State

[diarytypething]

Since Thursday I've been spending most of my free time in and around a lecture theatre under occupation by students. It's been fantastic, but I don't really know how to put it into words properly. From the crazy hand signals used for collaborative decision-making, to the local mosque sending us solidarity curry, to the much-hyped dance-off

Comments

[bohemiabythesea]

YAY! I thought I would never see the day students at Edinburgh would resort to proper uni occupation! Actually, of course, I'm not seeing it, given that I'm holed up on the other side of the Channel, ToDDing, but I feel touched. I have seen so many university occupations here, and long and imaginatively organised student protests and strikes, it always disconcerted me to see none of that happen at Edinburgh. Finally.

Hang in there!

[diarytypething]

It's been great. This evening we got a tip-off that Nick Clegg is due to visit Edinburgh tomorrow (or today now). I really hope I can arrange to get a couple of hours off work tomorrow so that I can be there.

That being said, it's all a bit through-the-looking-glass at the moment. This evening I was honestly sitting in a lecture theatre listening to Palestinian ska music with a bunch of anarchists.

[bohemiabythesea]

Ha, I can totally see that. All has its place, of course, but I would have wished for much more diversity. There's no point in making it terribly easy for the general public to judge and dismiss.

[diarytypething]

There are noticeable anarchist and socialist components to the group, plus a few Greens and feminist activists, but there's a huge number of people who don't belong to any group other than the anti-cuts campaign because they weren't all that politicised until recently. Sadly, it's made up almost entirely of white people so far, but we have a diversity of opinions rather than being dominated by one ideology, which will hopefully make it easier for people with different perspectives to join in.

[davidn]

That journal is wonderful :) It's good to see people who have reasonable views standing up for them...

[diarytypething]

Unfortunately there are a few hundred politicians who don't think we're being reasonable, and they are the ones with the riot cops on their side.

Nick Clegg might be turning up in Edinburgh now, and it's all getting exciting.

[davidn]

Well, whether your actions are or not (or rather, the actions of a destructive minority), your views are. All I've seen with regard to demonstrations in America are those like the ones against universal healthcare - I've seen people marching against what I would consider to be a fairly basic human right. It's an awful country.

[diarytypething]

Sometimes I look at America and despair, and I get the impression that there are a lot of people in America who feel the same. There was at least one American in the occupation, and it has been interesting to hear his take on things, which is essentially that he has become a part of a community in Edinburgh, and wants to help defend it.