Derry students take to the streets to save The Educatiothe packedn Maintenance Allowance (EMA)and resist cutbacks
Today, Friday 10 December 2010, saw another magnificent protest by the school students of Derry to Save EMA.
At 11.30 am over 1000 students across Derry walked out of their schools. Many of the students risked suspension or other punishment from their schools for doing so.
Each school marched to Guildhall Square. There they heard speeches from representatives from several schools, including Micheál Kelly, a student at St Columb’s.
They then set off again on a march right into Derry city centre.
Students filled the whole length of Shipquay Street from the Diamond to Guildhall Square. Cars pulled to the side and drivers beeped their horns in support as pedestrians stopped and applauded.
Derry School Students Bring City To A Standstill
The march stopped at St Columb’s Hall, right between the Foyleside and Richmond shopping centres.
The students had now brought the whole city centre to a standstill.
The packed streets responded to more speeches from school representatives with mass cheering and chanting of “EMA! EMA! EMA! EMA!”
Derry School Students – Beyond Orange and Green
It was here that there was the greatest cheering of the day to welcome the student representative of Lisneal College – the largest “Protestant” Secondary School in Derry. To massive cheers, she pointed out that the cutting of EMA, like all the other Stormont Cuts, affects both communities equally.
The active and visible co-operation between the “Protestant” schools such as Lisneal and Foyle and Londonderry High, and the “Catholic” schools such as St Mary’s and St Columb’s, shows that the old politics of Orange and Green is already dying. Class is now the issue.
Derry School Students Take Control Of The Guildhall And Council
The students then set off again, past Foyle Street Bus Station and back into Guildhall Square, where they marched right into the Guildhall itself.
Between 200 and 300 students took over the Guildhall for over an hour.
There were too many students to fit into the Council Chambers. Many listened in the corridors to more speeches, including one from Eamonn McCann of People Before Profit. The Council Chambers rang to the sound of more chanting and cheering, and the singing of “We Shall Not Be Moved!”. Many of the students risked suspension or other punishment from their schools for doing so.
“This Is Not The End! This Is The Beginning!”
Finally the students marched out again en masse. They immediately began planning two more protests for next week.
As McCann said in the Council Chambers: “This is not the end! This is the beginning!”
Finally the students marched out again en masse. They immediately began planning two more protests for next week. As McCann said in the Council Chambers: "This is not the end! This is the beginning!"
People Before Profit demand:
* No Cuts To The EMA;
* No Repercussions For Protesting Students;
* Trade Unionists And Community Groups Must Unite With The Students Against All Cuts;
* Fight Every Cut; Defend Every Job.
* This report is from Foyle People Before Profit. Our Contact Details are:
Office: 2nd Floor, 1 Shipquay Place, Guildhall Square, Derry (just right of Café Del Mundo)
Mobile: 0780-4824-779
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.peoplebeforeprofit.ie
* For more information and the latest news on the Derry EMA Protests go to the Derry FEE (Free Education for Everybody) Facebook page here:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group\_173157642714440 (