A worrying update about security provision was posted to People & Planet Edinburgh's Facebook timeline today:
"This occupation has been incredible. The support we’ve had from staff and members of the public, the hundreds and hundreds who have showed up to give us food and supplies, who’ve taken part in our demos, die-ins, pickets and even our music festival (!); all of this has shown the strength of feeling behind the campaign. The atmosphere has been one of enthusiastic solidarity and incredible friendliness and warmth, and it’s only been growing since we came in, and it’s only going to keep growing!
That’s why we’re really disappointed to have to post this. Last night, the University brought in a new security company to further block access to the building. We were warned in advance that these new ones “weren’t like the others” and wouldn’t hesitate to “batter” us. When they came, their presence was marred by a string of horrific events – joking about raping a member of the occupation, saying “sleep with one eye open, and I've got no lube so I'm coming in dry”, making sexist jokes about tampons and “screwing people”, as well as stopping and harassing women walking past late at night.
We have been surprised by the heavy-handedness with which the University has treated the occupation from the start, but these are new lengths altogether. This kind of behaviour can have no excuse whatsoever, and we have written to the University demanding that immediate action is taken by blacklisting that specific security firm. The obvious solution is to just allow open access to the occupation, instead of wasting thousands on bullies and thugs. Even better, they could just do the right thing and divest from fossil fuels."
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