Kirsty King

The organisers of a protest taking place tomorrow at Queen’s University Belfast in light of the University’s response to staff taking part in a UK-wide UCU Marking & Assessment Boycott have issued details about the event on social media this afternoon.

In a Facebook Group titled ‘15th of June QUB student protest - For fair treatment of student and staff’, organiser Solyane Michaut posted that tomorrow’s protest is “an opportunity to stand together as students in solidarity while remaining peaceful and respectful.”

The protest will begin at 5pm, “so that as many students as possible can join (because of work or other reasons)”, and will take place “at the front gates of Queen’s in front of the Lanyon [building].”

The organisers “greatly encourage” those taking part to “bring signs and be as creative as you can”, as well as “to bring water” to stay hydrated in light of recent hot weather.

Speaking to The Scoop, organiser Solyane, a final year PPE student at QUB, said “I’m hoping to see as many students as possible. It is an opportunity to get our voices heard but also to show that there is a strong sense of solidarity amongst students and staff.”

Fellow final year PPE student, David Williamson says, “From the outset this protest has been about solidarity with lecturers in their efforts to secure a better bargain, as management has utterly failed on their responsibilities to staff and students alike.”

Eimear O’Keeffe, a second year PPE student and fellow organiser, told The Scoop “QUB have continually let students and staff down. The past few years have been detrimental to our mental health and education. This protest is in solidarity with all affected by QUB mismanagement and inaction over the past few years.”

Organisers of the protest have also launched a petition in the past few days, a link to which can be found in both the protest’s Facebook Group and on its Instagram page (@protestqub). The petition, which now has over 140 signatures, states that “The failure of the University to effectively negotiate with striking staff has resulted in students being denied the degrees they deserve.”

According to the organisers, by signing the petition students are demanding the University to “Give students the degree they earned, “Give students a guarantee that their future will not be affected”, and “Provide transparency in the handling of the situation.”

Kirsty King is Head of The Scoop and an English graduate of Queen’s University Belfast

Organisers share details of Thursday's student protest for "fair treatment of students and staff" at QUB