Students occupying a building at the University of Leeds for the past 13 days are preparing for what they hope will be a city-wide student strike tomorrow - and are set to and join a march on Parliament on Thursday.
As reported last week, the occupiers are calling for a student strike and complete educational shutdown in Leeds. Students will demonstrate outside Leeds Met Student Union at noon - their third Leeds demonstration in a fortnight.
And on Thursday hundreds of Leeds students will join tens of thousands of others across the country for a march on Parliament - the day MPs vote on fees - to demand they do not increase them. Leeds coaches are due to leave 6am from Parkinson Steps - more than 700 students and supporters attended the last London protest.
Ian Pattison, press representative for the occupation, said:
"On Thursday, Parliament will vote on whether to raise tuition fees to crippling heights. It will be less than one month after the initial NUS national demonstration on November 10. This is no accident. The Con-Dem government have seen the opposition and want to bulldoze through their plans before it grows any further.
"On Thursday, students and workers will march on Parliament and unite against austerity. Whichever way the vote goes on Thursday, this is not the end.
"Students have offered a lead against the cuts. In January teacher and lecturers will ballot for strike action, and we'll see student solidarity and coordinated action like never before.
"We have shown the cuts are not necessary and they are not inevitable. If we fight, we can win."
More than 100 students are occupying the Michael Sadler building in protest against tuition fee rises and education cuts. The building was occupied following a day of action on Wednesday 24 November when 3,000 Leeds students participated in a series of student walkouts, protests, and marches. Since then the occupiers have organised two education assemblies, and another protest of about 400 last Tuesday.
Tuition fees rebel Leeds North West Liberal Democrat MP Greg Mulholland has tabled a Parliamentary Early Day Motion (EDM), calling on the government to halt the vote on fees.
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