Press Release: Workers Party of New Zealand

Political VUW Trespasses to be Challenged in Court

Workers Party activists Heleyni Pratley and Joel Cosgrove will be appearing in the District Court today (Thursday) at 10am to challenge the trespass charge brought about by Victoria University of New Zealand.

The trespasses come about from a fee setting meeting last year, with VUW raising student fees by millions of dollars. Joel threw an egg and Heleyni held a banner saying “free education from kindergarten to PhD”. For that the University has attempted to trespass them from all four campuses’ for two years as well as sending private security guards to try shove open the front door of Joel’s house, past Heleyni who was alone by herself at the time.

“The University are trying to claim they can trespass me for taking part in a fees protest” says Heleyni “they’re raising fees year in and year out and want to clamp down on any protest or dissent so that their ‘image’ isn’t affected”.

“VUW are firing staff, cutting student resources and trying to silence any response.” States Cosgrove “They have threatened to fire staff who speak out and trespassed ex-students who have stood up” he adds

VUW have a track record of aggressively attacking any voice it feels could potentially affect its ‘brand’. Last year three Workers Party students (including Joel) were barred from sitting their exams by VUW for ‘health and safety reasons’ in relation to a flag burning to do with a debate about ANZAC day. One of the students, Ian Anderson was barred for only filming the event.

“Ian was barred for videoing political events and now I’ve been trespassed for holding a sign at a political event” Heleyni says “VUW have forfeited any claim to being a ‘critic and conscience of society’ they should be held to account for their shameful anti-democratic behavior.”

ENDS.

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