I
personally think it is shocking that the university insists on persecuting
its own students for peacefully protesting against links between the
university and arms producers, chemical manufacturers and oil companies. The
university's reasons for pressing charges of 'aggravated trespass' are
spurious at best. I was teaching in the building throughout the protest and
can confirm the protest took place only in the lobby of the building, and
that the protesters later moved outside to continue their protest. Users of
the building anywhere other than the lobby were unaffected. Rather than
intending to 'intimidate, obstruct or disrupt' as the Criminal Justice Act
1994 describes the offence, I believe these protesters intended to educate,
enlighten and raise awareness, entirely appropriate activities for a
building named after the founder of the Quaker movement.
In
addition to signing the petition, I urge you to write to the Vice-Chancellor
(Prof. Paul Wellings), stating your concerns about the university's
suppression of free speech, and to pass this e-mail on to your friends and
colleagues.
Thanks, Johnny.
-- *J W Unger*
Dept.
of Linguistics and English Language Lancaster University Lancaster LA2
0JU