Cape Town - #FeesMustFall has been gaining international solidarity, with students from the University of London set to march to the South African embassy in London on Friday morning.
University of London students said via Facebook they will be protesting against the police violence and calling for a 0% increase in fees nationwide, the decolonisation of the universities, insourcing of all workers and the release without charge of all protesting students.
A letter addressed “To the protesting students, staff and their supporters at the Witwatersrand University, the University of Cape Town, Stellenbosch University and the university currently known as Rhodes”, was disseminated via social media.
They said the moment police were called in by “UCT management and given free reign to shoot students with rubber bullets” was the impetus for them to write their statement of solidarity.
“Like us, who have occupied space thereby reclaiming our university, the students of UCT merely want to improve the situation for black students and academic and non-academic workers. Through racism and economic compulsion, UCT is excluding blacks from the ability to fully participate in the institution of higher education. This violence must end,” the statement read.
Protesters are expected to meet at 10.30am at Russell Square, where they will head to the South African embassy in Trafalgar Square.
In the Facebook invitation, they said: “We act in solidarity with the South African students whose bravery and commitment have inspired us all.”
They also asked that all “political party paraphernalia” not be brought to the protest.
IOL
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