London Met students rally in Holloway against campus move plans
Protest outside London Met university's Holloway campus - Credit: London Met students' union
Students rallied outside London Metropolitan University on Monday in protest against the university’s plan to relocate two of its campuses to Holloway.
The £125m project would expand the Islington campus and close down the university’s buildings in east London.
Visual arts, architecture, business and law courses are taught in Whitechapel and Moorgate, while the other courses are taught at the campus in Holloway Road.
Student protesters are opposed to the move and are furious at the decision to suspend Robert Mull’s duties as Dean of the Cass Faculty of Art, Architecture and Design.
Monday’s demonstration took place outside Vice Chancellor John Raftery’s office at the main campus in Holloway Road, while Mr Mull was meeting with senior management to discuss his future.
One protester was quoted by the student union as saying: “This morning we gathered in solidarity to support our suspended Dean Robert Mull, demonstrating our opposition to the oppressive regime being imposed on staff and school alike.”
Another said: “At no point have senior management consulted us, so we felt we had to make our voices heard.”
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Meanwhile, students are continuing to occupy the Cass campus and on Sunday received a visit from actor and director Sam West, who brought them food, bedding and board games.
The students also have the support of Labour Lord Michael Cashman who, in a speech delivered to the House of Lords on December 3, said: “The Cass is a total success, there is no necessity for its move and its closure is not in the interest of east London either.”
But in a statement, the university described the relocation of the Cass as positive.
“By moving to Islington, the Cass will be in one location as opposed to the faculty’s current split between Central House and Commercial Road.
“Students have already highlighted the success of the previous merger between the School of Architecture and School of Art and Design to form the Cass three years ago, and we believe another move, with considerably more investment, can only be positive.”
