‘Let us out’: Isolating students hang window protest signs


Students isolating in their university halls of residence have been communicating with the outside world via signs in their windows saying “Let us out” and “Send beer”.

Unrest

Thousands of students have been forced to self-isolate following a surge in cases of coronavirus (Covid-19) at universities including Manchester Metropolitan, Glasgow, and Edinburgh Napier.

1,700 people were told to stay in their rooms at Manchester Metropolitan University’s Birley Campus and Cambridge Halls for 14 days after 127 tested positive for the virus.

The signs have called on people to send help and food
The signs have called on people to send help and food (Peter Byrne/PA)

Students have resorted to using sticky notes and signs in their windows, including some which asked for a tuition fees refund, and others which questioned why they were paying £9,250 a year for university courses.

An email from the university initially asked all students to remove their signs, however, a later tweet from  MMU apologised for this.

Related articles

Read on...

“Respect”

The university said:

We apologise for the message sent to our students last night about posters in windows, it didn’t reflect the University’s view.

We respect the rights of students to express themselves, but as requested by @gmpolice the posters must not break the law or they’ll have to be removed.

Sign on a window at Manchester Metropolitan University’s Birley campus
Sign on a window at Manchester Metropolitan University’s Birley campus (Peter Byrne/PA)

On Monday, the University of Exeter asked students not to meet indoors with anyone who is not part of their household, for the next 14 days. Education secretary Gavin Williamson is expected to make a statement in the Commons on 29 September.

At least 25 institutions have seen confirmed cases of the virus, according to university statements and local reports.

We need your help to keep speaking the truth

Every story that you have come to us with; each injustice you have asked us to investigate; every campaign we have fought; each of your unheard voices we amplified; we do this for you. We are making a difference on your behalf.

Our fight is your fight. You’ve supported our collective struggle every time you gave us a like; and every time you shared our work across social media. Now we need you to support us with a monthly donation.

We have published nearly 2,000 articles and over 50 films in 2021. And we want to do this and more in 2022 but we don’t have enough money to go on at this pace. So, if you value our work and want us to continue then please join us and be part of The Canary family.

In return, you get:

* Advert free reading experience
* Quarterly group video call with the Editor-in-Chief
* Behind the scenes monthly e-newsletter
* 20% discount in our shop

Almost all of our spending goes to the people who make The Canary’s content. So your contribution directly supports our writers and enables us to continue to do what we do: speaking truth, powered by you. We have weathered many attempts to shut us down and silence our vital opposition to an increasingly fascist government and right-wing mainstream media.

With your help we can continue:

* Holding political and state power to account
* Advocating for the people the system marginalises
* Being a media outlet that upholds the highest standards
* Campaigning on the issues others won’t
* Putting your lives central to everything we do

We are a drop of truth in an ocean of deceit. But we can’t do this without your support. So please, can you help us continue the fight?

The Canary Support us

Related articles