ABOUT 30 students are staging a sit-in protest at the University of York to voice their anger at rising tuition fees and education cuts.

The group has gathered in the university’s Exhibition Centre in the wake of a string of national marches and demonstrations earlier this week against Government cuts.

The students say they plan to remain in the building until December 16.

The protest is being staged after a Facebook group advertising its intentions was set up.

Participants Tara Jessop and Luke Capps said in a statement: “We’re here because we condemn the proposed cuts on further and higher education.

“We are calling on the university to support us in also condemning the education reforms. There is great importance attached to the means by which we’re presenting our demands by creating an alternative space on campus, inviting people to join us, having a shared space to exchange ideas, foster dialogue and show the potential the university holds.”

The vote by MPs on whether to raise university fees in England to an upper limit of £9,000 will be held next week and a number of other protests have been announced across the country.

There has been a wave of protests and occupations in universities, against the fees increase and plans to cut public funding for many arts and humanities courses.

The York students say they plan to continue their sit-in round the clock.

The protest follows University of York students holding a “degree auction” outside Vanburgh College last week, auctioning off a series of fake degrees, with fake money, to a crowd of students, to highlight higher education cuts.

On the same day, York College Students Union organised a demonstration to protest against the removal of the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA). The EMA provides cash payments of up to £30 a week to students during term time and closes to new applicants in January.

Protest plea

POLICE in York have urged students to remain peaceful during tomorrow’s protest march against education cuts.

Hundreds of students from educational establishments across York are expected to gather in the city centre, and officers are hoping the protest will not degenerate into violence.

Following Tuesday’s demonstration, police thanked students for their cooperation in minimising disruption to members of the public.