Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Protests against education cuts at Hornsey School for Girls
Students at Hornsey School for Girls staged a sit down protest against the education cuts in their playground this morning. The school gates were then locked and no-one was being allowed to leave. The police were also called.
Several students who left earlier were approached by the police at Turnpike Lane station who were asking which school they attended and where they were going and why.
(thanks to Andy for this info)
Several students who left earlier were approached by the police at Turnpike Lane station who were asking which school they attended and where they were going and why.
(thanks to Andy for this info)
Tags for Forum Posts: education_cuts, hornsey_school_for_girls, public spending cuts
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by 2ounmizxpq0vk on
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The situation yesterday was a prime example of the way us students at Hornsey School ALWAYS join together no matter what. Maybe things got out of hand with the breaking of gates, although I completely agreed with the protest to get out of school grounds and the sit down which started when they were told there was no way they were getting out. The fire alarm was set off by the teachers due to the fact there was probably 99% of the school outside protesting (baring in mind Hornsey has over 1300 students) and literally 6 teachers outside tyring to handle the situation.
However I was slightly angered due to the Headteachers reaction as there is always a sense that she believes girls shouldn't stand for things which they are unhappy about whenever I have had a conversation with her. She strongly believes in equal opportunities for us and I don't entirely believe she went about dealing with the 'riot' the right way.
But all in all the majority of the actions taken has made me proud to be part of Hornsey School for Girls for the past 6 years.
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Sophia, maintain your admirable sense of balance and when you become Hornsey School Head try to match what you say with what you're able to do. Teachers do sometimes get caught between their head and heart, especially when they're trying to give leadership to young people in Years 12/13 while simultaneously taking care of children in Years 7/8. You do seem to have a school which both students and parents can be proud of.
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. . . . and, of course, welcome to Harringayonline!
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Yeah, Year 7/8s thought the Queen was coming, however Year 12/13 were allowed to sign out after the threat that we would get a letter sent home. I called my Mum and told her where I was going and told her to expect a letter in the post, an Assistant Head then signed me out.
The police were threatening and even when I got a phone call from my friend telling me to leave ASAP as more riot police were coming to kettle even more people in the police were reluctant to let us out. The only way they would let you out was if you were under 16 and crying. I think it was disgusting to hold innocent 15/16/17 year olds in the freezing cold condition against their will for hours on end. If they were to call the police and tell them what was happening they would rush round, however it was deemed acceptable because it was the police carrying out the 'hostage'.
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I go to Hornsey school for Girls and attended the march on wednesday with a few of my friends. We met at Turnpike Lane and were questioned by the seemingly clueless police. They didn't know there was a march and didnt try to stop us from attending.-Overall quite friendly! We went to the march and ended up being kettled for a few hours (what fun) and met up with some of the girls that had been given permission to leave the school whilst the in-school protest was happening. The police van incident was completly ridiculous- the police had 'dumped' it there prior to our arrival and parked it right in the path of us! This was obviously a method that they could use to kettle us-when asked why they left the van there refused to reply. The protest was almost completly peaceful, the fires only started when it began to get cold and dark, everyone wanted to go home!
When I managed to get out of the area, one of my friends was injured by a policeman, trying to pull us out of the crowd to safety, as everyone was pushing forward.
When we heard about what happened at Hornsey, (including a teacher being crushed by a gate??) it was apparent that Hornsey was more violent than the main protest!
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Permalink Reply by John McMullan on
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1.) the police are very good at 'seeming' clueless. Do you not think it curious that in America, and on TV, you have the 'right' to say nothing?
2.) thank you very much for protesting on behalf of my children. Maybe I will have the balls to join you all next time.
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Permalink Reply by Chris Setz on
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I attended the Demo (with my 13yr old daughter, who had asked to go). It was a bright, crisp cold and sunny day with a lovely atmosphere of solidarity and plenty of witty placards as we set off from Trafalgar Square in a surge just before 1pm Wednesday. I saw one or two 'officials' but no stewards. We ended up seeing the whole crowd - there were plenty of secondary school students - lots of groups, many 12-15 yr old girls, fashionably but not obviously dressed for the weather - everyone was dressed pretty much in 'ordinary' clothes - lots of teenagers in hoodies, some boys with scarves etc covering more than half their faces. A few balaclavas. Few older people.
When we reached the Cenotaph, the Police had blocked access to Parliament, which was the stated aim of the march. We were immediately kettled between the Cenotaph and the Treasury (Parliament Street), by Police in High-Viz jackets with soft caps or ordinary police helmets, but no identifiable markings.
There was an empty Police van outside the Treasury, right in the middle of us. It was initially ignored by the marchers surrounding it, until someone had the idea to graffiti it, then climb on it, then try to break it, then rock it etc. There was crowd disapproval, but a feeling of 'live and let live' prevailed.
Within 30 minutes of the kettle, riot police appeared at the Cenotaph end - although their helmets were numbered, there were no police numbers on their clothing. Almost all men - the few women were noticeably smaller in height.
We had lunch in the Cafe - very nice; first time I've eaten inside a kettle, as it were. There were plenty of young people who, realising we would not reach Parliament - cried out 'we want to go home', 'let us out' etc and calls about homework and being cold, needing the toilet etc. Ppeople queried the Police, to be told that they were being held because of the criminal damage. The crowd got noisier - I heard a few senior Police voices behind the ranks reading the Riot Act - brought back a lot of memories. The Cenotaph end briefly raised their truncheons and the crowd recoiled in fear. Placards and drinks cans were thrown.
As it got colder and darker people started to make small fires and a core of teenage boys concentrated on damaging the bus stop and ticket machine, eventually setting it on fire - most people seemed very cold and gathered for the warmth. I saw many girls who must have been freezing based on what little they were wearing. One person tried to break one of the bomb-proof Treasury windows. There was crowd condemnation of the damage, but no way of prosecuting it. At least one person had a guitar, another a flute but the cold dampened the community feeling. There was plenty of debate and some 'activists' with leaflets. I saw many iPhones and people phoned each other within the crowd to exchange tactics. There was at least one Student Leader with a megaphone and a 'legal observer'. We were visited by a small stream of journalists, some who looked too fit and leather jacketed to be true. The Police photographers were using SLRs and video.
Two Portaloos were made available at the Parliament end and some bottled water was passed through to the crowd. Some people 'escaped' but most were stuck and powerless, freezing. Two mounted Police appeared. The Police announced that the 'dispersal' would begin around 5pm - that did not happen and at 7:30pm they started to allow the youngest out - we left at 8:10pm - the adults were kept there, the crowd defeated, the Police in control.
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In my frantic efforts to be simultaneously balanced, judicious and 'right on' I was comforted to hear that our Shadow Leader is still a zeitgeist of his former self. Should we make him an honorary member of HOL ?
"I applaud young people who peacefully demonstrate. I said I was going to go and talk to them at some point. I was tempted to go out and talk to them. . . . . . . . . I think I was doing something else at the time actually."
Ed Miliband on Radio 4 Today.
But he's had his paternity leave. And 'Questions to the Prime Minister' finished by 12.30pm. Still, Ralph would have praised his intentions - and David deserves an odd snigger, I suppose.
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Permalink Reply by Kit on
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Isn't it lucky that a mob element showed up on the march? Otherwise, we'd have to focus our outrage and moral indignation on the senseless violence that is the Con-Dems' education strategy.
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Permalink Reply by matt on
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The NUS strategy of targeting the LibDem MPs is a smart move. Already a LibDem MP that has Cambridge within his constituency was popping up on the radio this morning saying how much he 'supported the students marching against the cuts and fee rises'. The interviewer wondered if he was worried about his seat come the next election. :)
When is the vote in parliament for this EdSuicideAct?
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Permalink Reply by wholepint on
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Just to say well done to everyone who took part (and it makes me slightly ashamed that when I was at school and tuition fees were introduced we didn't stand up for ourselves!). Next time there's a demo on a weekend I'll be there.
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Kelly, join the Mili band (above).
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