Otago Students Commemorate Protest's Anniversary

Otago Students to Commemorate 10th Anniversary of Protest

Otago students will next week commemorate the tenth anniversary of the September 28th 1993 fees protest which saw police in riot gear clash with students at the University Registry building. The protest saw dozens of students injured, three students taken to trial, and many complaints of police brutality.

"Ten years ago this campus was turned on its head as a militant student protest faded into the afternoon, and police decided to clear a path for university councilors with batons. Monday will be an opportunity for members of the university community to remember the sad events of that day." said co-organiser Mr Kyle Matthews.

Organisers will return to the site of the conflict on Monday 29th September, to chalk outlines around bodies. This will copy the events of September 29th 1993, when students returned the day after the 'riot' to express their sorrow at the events of the day before. Students who were at the protest but who are no longer in Dunedin will be asked to send messages to put into their 'body'.

"Ten years ago students were protesting about fee increases which brought fees up to $1500, and the end of equal access to NZ's education system. Ten years later, fees are $4000 plus and still rising, this commemoration is a sad indictment of successive government's failure to address under-funding." said co-organiser Mr Mark Baxter.

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