Protest against deportation of Nottingham University activist

Submitted by Pete on 28 May, 2008 - 6:00 Author: Pete
FREE SPEECH

About 400 students and academics protested today, May 28th at Nottingham University against the attempts currently under way to deport Hicham Yezza, a former university student now employed on the campus. See photos of the demo from this link.

The size of the protest no doubt represented the popularity of Hich and the real knowledge of the injustice of the arrest of Hich along with his friend Rizwaan Saber under the Prevention of Terrorism Act that preceded the deportation moves.

Those attending the rally listened in intermittent heavy rain whilst extracts of the document that Hich downloaded for a friend from a US government website were read by numerous academics at the University. Local MP Alan Simpson made an impassioned speech attacking the University's creation of a climate of fear at the University. The protest then went on to the University administration building where a silent protest was held with mouths symbolically gagged. At this stage colleagues of Hich held placards out of the windows in support of him.

The downloaded document that led to the police being called in by the University to make arrests was downloaded by Hich to assist Rizwaan with his political research for his PhD on terrorism. Both continued to be held despite the fact that Rizwaan's supervisor and personal tutor had both vouched for the legitimate and academic reason for him needing to consult the document.

Both Hich and Rizwaan were known to the University authorities. Hich had been long active in the University of Nottingham's Peace Movement and is editor of a campus based magazine Ceasefire. Rizwaan had been active on the Israel/ Palestine issue and the University recently called in the police and had Rizwaan arrested for erecting along with others a cardboard wall, causing minor inconvenience for people going into the library, but attempting to give a taste of what it must be like living with the Occupation wall erected in Palestinian territories. This circumstances around the arrest have been posted on Youtube which people can see on YouTube from this link.

Rizwaan was released after a week of terrible treatment. Hich remains in detention facing an attempt to deport him back to Algeria from which he moved to the UK 13 years ago as a teenager.

Hich's politics are not hidden. It is laughable that he could be considered someone likely to be involved in the promotion of terrorism.

Hich wrote in the last issue of the magazine he edits this Spring, "We believe in the power of ideas and we would like you to join us in our quest for a more sustainable, better-run world. Idealism is dismissed as an irrelevant luxury in a world dominated by cyncism and real-politik – well idealists may be redundant, but idealists certainly not. From Martin Luther King to Mandela, it's the very people who think the unthinkable that make the impossible … possible"

Does that sound like the writings of a Bin-Laden or an Omar Bakri Mohammad?

I don't exactly how Hich would describe himself, probably as a libertarian or even an anarchist of some form. But is that now a reason for deportation? Indeed his politics would probably make him a target for the political Islamists in Algeria as well as the repressive military hat are also strong there.

The University of Nottingham is clearly intent on developing a spirit of fear and intimidation amongst its students and staff and not one of freedom.

Unfortunately the University's actions have not led to any complaint from the Local Association of the UCU nor the President of the NUS at the University, Gerald Bates. Both the NUS and the UCU have been uncritical of the University's actions restricting themselves to expressing concern at the speed of the deportation process. Both refused to support the protest against the deportations of Hich because it was also critical of the University's actions.

The fact that the protest was so large with so many academics as well as students in attendance makes it quite clear that this campaign will continue even stronger over the next few days and questions will probably asked in the UCU and NUS over many months.

But there is also a need for urgent action to stop Hich's deportation which has been reset for Sunday, 1st June. For immediate advice on support action to take, consult the website http://freehichamyezza.wordpress.com/what-can-we-do

Comments

Submitted by Pete on Sun, 01/06/2008 - 09:50

Hich's deportation has been temporarity halted but another Nottingham activist now faces deportation see the article here.
Incidently the Stop the War Coalition has called for support for Hich as part of a campaign to stop attacks on Muslims. Now I have never seen Hich refer to himself as a 'Muslim'. And Amdani, I'm pretty certain isn't 'Muslim'.
The issue is racism, STWC!

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