Vic: Students occupy uni building as part of day of protest

AAP General News (Australia)
04-05-2001
Vic: Students occupy uni building as part of day of protest

MELBOURNE, April 5 AAP - Students at Melbourne University today occupied its administration
building after smashing a door to gain entry and daubing slogans on the walls outside.

The university said up to 50 students were inside the building after gaining entry
at about 1pm today.

At one point students were throwing papers from a top-floor balcony.

Graffiti on the outside the building said "Free Education", and "Stop the Rot, S11
equals M1," in a reference to the planned May 1 blockade of Melbourne's Stock Exchange
building.

The university is understood to be attempting to negotiate with those inside the building.

The occupation is part of a national day of protest at colleges throughout Australia.

Students are calling on the government to deliver free public education.

Meanwhile, in Spring Street, about 150 student protesters rallied outside state parliament.

Melbourne University student union education officers Paul Coates said education had
reached "a point of catastrophe" and government action was urgently needed.

"Our university is dominated by corporate administrators and private sector decision
makers, while at the same time there is real and substantial reduction of academic control
over university affairs," Mr Coates said.

"The university is channelling millions of dollars of public funding into private ventures."

AAP bp/clr/was/sb

KEYWORD: STUDENTS VIC

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