Injunction bans 15 students, including 7 elected officers of students’ union, from occupational protest on campus after sit-in over cutting of places

This article is more than 5 years old

This article is more than 5 years old

A London university has won an injunction against 15 of its own students – seven of whom are elected representatives of the students’ union – banning them from occupational protest on campus indefinitely.

The students from University of the Arts London (UAL) began their sit-in by occupying the reception area of Central Saint Martins in King’s Cross on 19 March.

After negotiations fell through, 15 representatives of OccupyUAL, who are protesting against plans to axe 580 foundation art and design places for new students, were summoned to appear before a judge at the Royal Courts of Justice on Tuesday.

Among those named in the injunction was Shelly Asquith, the president of the UAL students’ union. She said: “It goes against our fundamental human right to protest.

“It also undermines the role of the students’ union because so many of the elected officers, including next year’s campaigns officer, are named on that injunction.”

The university, she said, has shown “utter contempt” for its own students and their views.

The move by UAL to seek legal action is the latest in what many see as a worrying trend to clampdown on student protest and freedom of speech on UK campuses.

In 2011, Birmingham University obtained an injunction which criminalised all occupation-style protests on its 250-acre campus for 12 months.

Two years ago, the University of Sussex followed suit after students occupied a campus building over plans to outsource 235 members of staff

MP John McDonnell spoke out at the time against what he saw as a wave of intimidating crackdowns against student protesters. He said: “It’s outrageous that students exercising their traditional democratic right to protest have been persecuted in this way.”

To protest UAL’s decision and show solidarity with their peers, more than 100 students gathered outside the Royal Courts on Tuesday, causing gridlock for central London drivers by marching to UAL’s Holborn offices and creating a roadblock, before marching back to Central Saint Martins.

The NUS joined the voices condemning the university’s actions. President Toni Pearce said: “NUS stands in solidarity with those who have protested peacefully in opposition to cuts.”

Before the hearing, she had called for UAL to reconsider what she called its “alarming and unacceptable use of legal action against activists”.

One of those named in the injunction is Elliott Dean, 19, who had never been involved in activism before and told the Guardian how “scary” it had been to receive the letter.

He said: “I didn’t expect to have an injunction taken out with my name on it.

“Even my tutors have been saying that it’s just part of the art school experience. Art schools and activism go hand in hand.”

But a UAL spokesperson told the Guardian that officers from the students’ union weren’t specifically targeted. He said: “We simply named individuals we knew to be in the space for legal purposes.”

Nigel Carrington, vice-chancellor at UAL, said they had “tried for nearly four weeks without success” to negotiate with the students. “Legal action was our last resort,” he added. He was adamant, however that the university remains “committed” to freedom of speech and peaceful protest.

Despite having to move out of their occupation, OccupyUAL will continue their campaign. A meeting between students and staff affected by redundancies will be held tomorrow to decide the next step.

Asquith said: “The university wants to shut us up but it won’t be successful.”