The group had demanded rent rebates, an end to police patrols on Fallowfield campus, and a reshuffle of leadership roles within the UoM hierarchy – but claimed the university “isn’t listening”.
Students confirmed they would vacate the building shortly after a roving protest took place in the surrounding area – with groups marching around the university campus and Oxford Road area as part of another general demonstration against UoM.
The university has admitted it has “not got everything right” after a troublesome 2020/21 academic year – which saw students tear down “prison” security fences at Fallowfield campus and President-Vice Chancellor Nancy Rothwell forced to apologise after a racial profiling incident.
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Students staged an additional protest in the abandoned Owens Park tower in November – which culminated in a rent reduction for semester one. UoM also announced a rent pause in January for any residents unable to return to their accommodation. But the relationship between students and the university has remained fractious.
In March, students held a referendum that resulted in a vote of ‘no confidence‘ against Rothwell, but the UoM confirmed it would stick by its President and her team.
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This latest protest had seen students reside in the Samuel Alexander building for 19 nights.
UoM Rent Strike representatives said: “The University has refused to engage with the Sam Alex occupiers and has threatened us with legal action that could criminalise further occupations and lead to violent evictions.
“Senior leadership has been watching our social media and has threatened us with disciplinary action for calling out the racism of security guards, sexism within the SU and the joke that is our senior management. These are the suppressive tactics of a failing leadership.
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“The uni didn’t even meet with the SU execs until we had been occupying for nearly 2 weeks and has since shut down any attempts at negotiation. It’s become clear to us that the university isn’t listening and continuing our occupation won’t change that.
“With a heavy heart, we are leaving the occupation so we can fight another day.”
Update from the Sam Alex occupiers! Despite increasing threats and hostile security, we are going strong on our 19th night and our numbers have MULTIPLIED BY FIVE since the morning and we now have over 30 occupiers – gonna take more than bullying to get us out!! pic.twitter.com/Dmya1DTZxp
UoM Rent Strike vowed to continue protesting and claimed “this is only the beginning.”
The group stated: “If the longest occupation in Manchester since the 70s can’t force change in our university, we have to escalate with new radical tactics.”
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A University of Manchester spokesperson said: “The students who have been occupying the Samuel Alexander Building have now left. With a full and welcome return to in-person teaching from 17 May, we will now begin the process of cleaning the building and ensuring it is COVID secure again for the use of staff and students.”
Featured image: UoM Rent Strike
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Police release footage of missing Manchester man Adeo Alston-Ekpei’s last-known movements
Emily Sergeant
Video footage showing the last-known movements of a Manchester man who’s been missing for three weeks now has been released.
Detectives at Greater Manchester Police (GMP) are continuing to search for Adeo Alston-Ekpei, who has not been seen since Friday 16 May.
The 25-year-old was seen in Fletcher Moss Park in Didsbury at around 3pm, before later being seen walking down Kingsway away from Manchester and close to the River Mersey, at around 5.20pm that same day.
Multiple lines of enquiry being explored by police at present, but anyone who believes they may have seen him from around this time, is asked to get in touch.
Adeo is described as being a mixed-race male, with long curly black hair and a long singular dreadlock, and bleached eyebrows. He has a cupid’s bow piercing and a right eyebrow piercing. He also has an ‘AKA’ tattoo on his right wrist, and a ‘24’ tattoo in the right side of his chest.
He was last seen wearing long blue denim shorts, an undone green short-sleeved button-up shirt, and white Adidas trainers.
Friends have also recently set up a public fundraiser to help with the search for Adeo.
Adeo Alston-Ekpei has been missing for almost three weeks / Credit: GMP
“We are dedicated to finding Adeo and getting much-needed answers for his family,” commented Detective Inspector Kelly, from GMP’s Manchester district, as the footage was released to the public this week.
“I would ask any residents around the Kingsway area, and surrounding housing estates off Kingsway into Gately, and who may have dashcam or CCTV footage from around this time, to please check and get in touch if you have any information.
“Likewise, if anyone believes they have seen Adeo, please get in touch with one of our officers. Any information is appreciated and investigated as we continue our work.”
#MISSING | We are continuing to ask for information relating to missing Adeo, who was last seen on May 16.
We have additionally released CCTV footage showing Adeo’s last known movements on Kingsway, Manchester.
— Greater Manchester Police (@gmpolice) June 5, 2025
A spokesperson for Adeo’s family described the missing man as ‘kind, funny, and intelligent’ with a ‘huge heart’, but they say he ‘wasn’t himself when he disappeared’.
“He may have come across as agitated, lost, or confused,” the spokesperson admitted. “In his last call to his mum, he was in a very vulnerable state.”
Anyone with any information regarding Adeo’s whereabouts is urged to contact South Manchester CID directly on 0161 856 6051 or 0161 856 6063, or you can use the LiveChat function on GMP’s website and quote log number 838 of 18/05/25.
Alternatively, you can report information to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Featured Image – GMP
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Tributes pour in after Heaton Park’s beloved resident donkey Ralph dies at age 40
Emily Sergeant
The time has come… one of Heaton Park’s beloved resident donkeys, Ralph, has sadly died at the impressive age of 40.
As regular visitors to Manchester‘s largest park may be aware, Ralph the donkey recently celebrated his 40th birthday – which, even more impressively, actually made him 120 in donkey years – and it was a truly incredible achievement for him to reach, especially as The Donkey Sanctuary says that the average life expectancy for a donkey is just over 30 years of age.
But earlier this week, things sadly took a turn for the worse.
Heaton Park‘s Estates Team made the decision to contact a vet for a site visit after identifying some changes with Ralph’s behaviour, and unfortunately, this was found to be caused by a ruptured intestine.
So it’s with ‘deep sadness’ that the park had to announce to the public that Ralph passed away later that afternoon.
“Ralph meant a lot to many, both staff and all our visitors, and he will be deeply missed within the park,” Heaton Park & Hall said in tribute to their beloved friend on social media this week.
They also shared an adorable image of him when he was just a young foal.
Those who had the pleasure of seeing Ralph roam the park over the past four decades soon began flooding the comments, sharing their own emotional tributes to the friendly face who’s sadly no longer with us.
Heaton Park’s beloved resident donkey Ralph celebrating his 40th birthday / Credit: Heaton Park & Hall (via Facebook)
“Sleep easy buddy, you had a wonderful charmed life and you deserved it,” one touching comment read on Facebook, while another added: “Aww Godspeed Ralph, you had a happy life, now its time to rest,” and a third commented: “So sorry to hear this sad news about Ralph, but glad to know he has enjoyed a long and happy life.”
Another tribute reads: “RIP Ralph, you brought a lot of joy to a lot of people,” as does this similar one: “Aww bless him. He’d had a long and happy life, and gave much happiness too.”
The Manc -
11th May 2021 
