Thanks to the 200 or so of you who came to our rally yesterday evening in support of the Save Middlesex Philosophy campaign and in solidarity with suspended students and staff.

We heard speakers from seven different London universities, as well as activists from the UCU lecturers’ union and students from Sussex University who have also been victimised for fighting cuts. We heard philosophers talking about the need for united action against bosses and trade union militants talking about how Socrates stood up for truth and justice.

The rally finished up with campaigners setting up a protest camp on the lawn outside Middlesex University’s Hendon campus. This is the third occupation of university space the Save Middlesex Philosophy campaign has undertaken in the past few weeks. We have set up a dozen tents and a large marquee, and more than twenty members of the campaign spent the night. Several artists (via Eric Alliez) have contributed posters for the event; photos will be posted shortly.

We aim to use this camp today (Friday 28 May) as a base to raise awareness of our campaign and build support among staff and students.

Meanwhile management have moved the hearings for the four suspended students that are to take place today from Hendon to Trent Park campus. Anyone wishing to join the solidarity delegation to show support for the students should meet outside the student union at Trent Park from 10am onwards.

We will be all be meeting up in Hendon again around 3pm, hopefully including staff attending the Middlesex UCU emergency meeting at Hendon that afternoon.

The rally was covered by BBC television and BBC online, and our campaign featured in yesterday’s London Evening Standard.