24th March: Status of Student Occupations

On 24th March 2009, 30 students occupied the Law faculty and 50 students occupied the humanities faculties in “Raval” (both campuses of the University of Barcelona), a further 40 students occupied the Autonomous University of Barcelona's Education faculty.

You can consult their respective demands by visiting their blog sites at:
UB Law Faculty
UB Raval
UAB Education

At the same time, the 'Japanese-Style strike' in Pompeu Fabra University continues! This strike consists of students occupying the library to study for as long as possible and refusing to leave. The library would normally close at 1.30am. [1]

As well as those faculties already occupied, three other faculties will also be occupied. These are: Mundet (pedagogy), Geology and Fine Arts (all faculties of the University of Barcelona). The following communiqué has arrived from our friends in Fine Arts:
“From the Assembly of the UB Fine Arts faculty, we communicate that tonight the students have closed themselves in the faculty to demand the faculty's deaconship to publicly make their position clear regarding the eviction and brutal police charges on students last Wednesday 18th March. At the same time, we demand the resignation of Dídac Ramírez, current rector of the UB, since we consider that he has refused to engage in dialogue with the student body. We also demand the resignation of all the politicians responsible for the repression of students mobilised against the Bologna Process and a purge of the Autonomous Police Force (the Mossos d'Esquadra). Yours sincerely, Fine Arts Assembly.”

[1] . A 'Japanese-Style strike' is a tactic used by Japanese workers who work overtime and overproductively in order to flood the market with commodities and decrease the profits of their company. Around 30 students have been carrying out this action since 15th March. The student blog can be seen here:

http://assembleaupf.wordpress.com/2009/03/25/vaga-japonesa-capitol-8-2/