A group of students who occupied Manchester University buildings as part of a long-running rent strike could be excluded. Disciplinary proceedings have begun against 11 students who barricaded themselves in university buildings during the stand-off.
Strikers have been refusing to pay their accommodation fees since January. One group barricaded themselves inside the Simon Building for more than five weeks before being evicted by bailiffs.
Demands made by the University of Manchester Rent Strike group include a 30 per cent rent reduction or rebate for this year, a rent freeze across university digs for at least three years and that at least 40pc of university halls cost less than half of the maximum student maintenance loan within the next three years.
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Ryan Belhadj, 20, is one of 11 students facing disciplinary action which could range from fines to exclusion. The third year physics student said: "We think they want to make an example of us, but we are fighting hard to make sure that doesn't happen.
"We were told about the proceedings the day before the exam season started, it's been timed perfectly to coincide with our exams. Students are doing multiple jobs just to survive, they're having to go to food banks.
"It's just not affordable. We want the university to do something about it. We have tried and tried to get them to listen but nothing has worked.
"It's really upsetting because Manchester has a long and proud history of protest, but the university seems determined to make an example of us and scare other people off protesting."
In a joint statement the 11 students described disciplinary action as 'heavy-handed'. They said: "[The university] is claiming that we have committed 'serious misconduct', with a list of false allegations including damage, disorderly and offensive language and behaviour, and health and safety breaches. They are attempting to misrepresent us as a small, extreme and violent group - the report even compares us to terrorists - and completely disregards the reasons why we feel the need to protest.
"This is an unprecedented and heavy-handed response from the University of Manchester. Protest occupations have a long history at this university and across the country.
"This is a clear attempt to set an example of a small number to deter the wider student body from taking part in protests. They are attempting to use collective punishment, accusing students of being responsible for actions that they have no evidence of their involvement in.
"This should be a fair process, but we believe it is being influenced by senior management’s political disagreements with us. We call on UoM to address our demands for more affordable accommodation, better cost-of-living support and to listen to the UCU, not to take disproportionate punitive action."
A University spokesperson said "We are taking disciplinary action against a small number of students related to the illegal occupations of university buildings over many weeks. Reasons for this include injury to and intimidation of our staff who are doing their jobs, which we cannot accept.
"Damage to property has also been caused and significant disruption to core activities including moving teaching at short notice. These internal disciplinary actions are ongoing, and it would be unfair to prejudge any outcomes at this stage.
"The students involved will have the opportunity to participate in hearings. Students have not been evicted for failure to pay rent during the year, despite rumours to the contrary.
"Our intention is not to evict students. In fact, we have referred a total of 255 students, to a third-party agency for further assistance. Regarding rent payments, the non-payment rate in January was comparable to the same period in 2022.
"As of May 2, we have been notified by 65 students that they are withholding rent as part of a campaign out of more than 8,000 residents. However, the rate of payment in the most recent collection remains consistent with previous years.
"We are here to help and have contacted students about payment options and support. We understand that the cost of living situation is having an effect on students, and many of them are worried or in difficulty.
"Working together with the Students' Union, we have taken unprecedented, sector-leading action totalling payments of £9m to support our students. Furthermore, we are actively engaged at a national level to address these issues.
"Teaching and other activities had been disrupted by illegal occupations around campus since February 8, and while many universities take a very hard line on this sort of protest, we have preferred to repeatedly ask the students to leave and attempt to engage through elected representatives of students. However, following multiple requests to those illegally occupying the building to leave which met with no compliance, the court granted the University a possession order.
"Officers of the High Court did attend the Simon Building on March 22 to enforce that court order on a small group of students who had been illegally occupying rooms there since February 13, 2023. We very much regret having to do this, but the situation has been going on for a significant amount of time and has caused ongoing disruption to students and the people who work in the building.
"This includes health and safety breaches, entry to private office spaces, and injury caused to colleagues, which we cannot accept. We remain committed to maintaining a safe and conducive environment for all members of our students and staff."
