Around a dozen University of Manchester students occupied a university building in Fallowfield as part of ongoing rent strike protests yesterday.
Students representing UoM Rent Strike, Students Before Profit and 9K4WHAT have taken up residence in the currently empty Owens Tower on Wilmslow Road, in a stand against university management.
Yesterday evening, the students occupying the tower had their WIFI cut off by the university and were temporarily deprived of receiving food and other essential items.
However, after involvement from local MP Afzal Khan, the internet was restored in the early hours of the morning.
He said: “The welfare of students should be everyone’s number one priority.
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“I hope @OfficialUoM will reach out to students and de-escalate tensions.”
Protestors have said that they feel like they have been neglected by the University, and are demanding a 40 per cent reduction in rent for the remainder of the 2020/21 academic year.
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One of the occupiers, Ben McGowan, 18, is a first-year politics student at the University of Manchester.
Speaking to The Manc, he said: “The way the university has treated students is deplorable.
“Firstly, they told us we would receive face to face teaching and then backtracked on that within a week of us moving in. Then hundreds of us had to isolate with little support.
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“The state of the accommodation is awful too. There’s been rat infestations as well as leaks and floods in some of the halls on campus.
“We will not leave until (Vice Chancellor) Nancy Rothwell meets with us and agrees to our aims. The least that university management could do is agree to meet us and hear what we have to say.”
UoM Rent Strike’s original demands, announced on October 5, are as follows:
A rent reduction of at least 40 per cent, for the remainder of the academic year 2020-21.
To offer all students no-penalty early release clause from their tenancy contracts, for both this and the next academic year.
Increase the standard of support for students in halls of residence, this includes food, laundry and post for isolating flats; better security and faster responses to complaints about standards of living e.g. broken fridges.
Mr McGowan, who lives in Fallowfield’s Oak House accommodation, also said he wanted a refund on rent paid for December as new Government guidelines meant he had to leave the accommodation, but the university had “refused to engage.”
In an open letter addressed to Nancy Rothwell, the occupiers said: “Even amidst the calls for transparency between the governing body and the students, you have still failed to provide us with a meeting to merely discuss these demands, much less to implement them.”
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Mr McGowan added: “University management have a duty of care over their students.”
“If they are not willing to meet with us to discuss their concerns then they are failing in their role.”
A University of Manchester spokesperson said: “We are aware of the protest by a handful of students in an empty residential building.
“We have made it clear to them that they shouldn’t be there and that they may also be in contravention of current national Health Protection Regulations.
“We are already engaging with elected Students’ Union representatives about many of the issues being highlighted by the protestors.
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“The University is fully committed to freedom of expression.”
Mr McGowan said that they have enough food to last them a while, and they will continue to occupy the tower block until their “basic demands” are met.
In an updated statement, a University of Manchester spokesman said that the Vice Chancellor has agreed to meet students over the weekend to discuss their concerns.
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Manchester’s O2 Victoria Warehouse cancels PVRIS gig at last minute as water pours through ceiling
Daisy Jackson
The O2 Victoria Warehouse has had to turn away PVRIS gig-goers as doors opened after the thunderstorms across Manchester proved too much for the venue’s roof.
Thousands were excitedly heading to the huge music venue to see American pop-rockers PVRIS perform.
But the band’s gig has now been postponed, with the news announced after the official door opening time.
PVRIS said that the cancellation was caused by a ‘massive leak in the venue’s ceiling’ and shared a video of the hall with pools of water on the floor.
Fans who were already inside the O2 Victoria Warehouse have shared videos of water pouring through the roof inside.
Many said that they were being turned away before either the band or the venue had issued an update.
O2 Victoria Warehouse posted: “Due to unforeseen circumstances, tonight’s performance at O2 Victoria Warehouse Manchester with #PVRIS – Sun 12 May 2024 – is postponed.
“We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience and all customers are advised to retain tickets until further notice.”
PVRIS has said: “We are so sorry to have to cancel the show tonight due to a massive leak in the venue’s ceiling causing flooding right before doors.
“We’ve tried everything we could to find an alternative to still perform for you all tonight but due to circumstances beyond our control there is unfortunately no options for the show to go ahead.
“We were looking forward to our first gig back in the UK and to spend it with you & we are just as disappointed but everyone’s safety is #1 priority.
“We are doing our best to find a way to reschedule this show ASAP.
“More info coming as soon we know more, we are in the dark just as much you are about the situation.”
Mancs stunned as Northern Lights glow above Greater Manchester in rare solar storm
Daisy Jackson
Greater Manchester was treated to a once-in-a-lifetime display of the Northern Lights overnight.
The skies above our region lit up in shades of pink and green in a shimmering spectacle that had the nation stunned.
The Northern Lights are normally only visible much further north, with many travelling to countries like Iceland and Norway to catch a glimpse – but last night, the show came to Manchester.
It’s all been caused by a ‘severe solar storm, which hit Earth on Friday night, and may continue into Saturday.
Space weather experts issued the rare geomagnetic storm warning – the first in 20 years – on Friday.
But most of us were blown away to actually see the Northern Lights dancing over Manchester.
The huge solar storm predicted by NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) supercharged the Aurora Borealis.
They said that ‘additional solar eruptions could cause geomagnetic storm conditions to persist through the weekend’.
Then here comes the science: “A large sunspot cluster has produced several moderate to strong solar flares since Wednesday at 5am ET.
“At least five flares were associated with coronal mass ejections (CMEs) that appear to be Earth-directed. SWPC forecasters will monitor NOAA and NASA’s space assets for the onset of a geomagnetic storm.
“CMEs are explosions of plasma and magnetic fields from the sun’s corona. They cause geomagnetic storms when they are directed at Earth.
“Geomagnetic storms can impact infrastructure in near-Earth orbit and on Earth’s surface, potentially disrupting communications, the electric power grid, navigation, radio and satellite operations.
“SWPC has notified the operators of these systems so they can take protective action.
“Geomagnetic storms can also trigger spectacular displays of aurora on Earth.”
If you look to the skies over Manchester tonight, there’s a chance you’ll see the Northern Lights again.
Just try not to cry as much as we did.
In pictures – the Northern Lights over Manchester
Joyful as a big kid. Mesmerising. Real life moment, never seen them before. Anyone else looking up? pic.twitter.com/a7B4kqBkfY
— NOT QUITE LIGHT – NQL (@NotQuiteLight) May 10, 2024