ULU President Arrested!!!!!

ULU President Michael Chessum was apprehended in a shock arrest today over yesterday’s demonstration outside ULU. According to ULU Officers Chessum was  “intercepted by several police officers on his way back from a meeting with University of London management.”

It is claimed that he failed to properly notify the University of London about the route of yesterday’s protest over the dissolution of ULU, and has been charged under the breach of public order act.

ULU have released a statement saying that the arrest  is “a clear attack on the right to protest. It is a transparent and shameful attempt to intimidate students from demonstrating against the actions of university management.”

Supporters believe Chessum is being held at Holborn police station and  organised a  protest at the station via Facebook for 16:30 today.

The incident comes after several weeks of tension between ULU and the police. Recent protests Daniel Cooper, who was himself arrested several weeks ago over alleged racial profiling by the police, spoke with the Tab from outside the police station this evening:

“There’s around 150 people here, slowly dissipating due to the cold, but there’s students, staff and academics, we’re all calling for Michael’s immediate release. There have been innumerable protests over the years, they were already aware of this one, there were police at the protest.”

“It’s part of a growing campaign by the University of London to criminalise the actions of students, as they’re nervous about the growing size of protests. There’s no need for police on university campuses.”

Mr. Cooper said he would remain outside the station until Mr. Chessum was released. Cute.

UPDATE: Chessum has been released after spending around 8 hours in Holborn Police Station and has been issued with a document stating that he MUST NOT “engage in protest on any University Campus and nor within half a mile boundary of any University” in order to “prevent reoffending or obstruction of justice.”

Will Chessum continue to protest despite these clear warnings? Stay with The Tab London over the weekend for further updates.