comment photos on Flickr

"Nobody could believe it. That in the most obvious comment concerning reaction inside Senate House as the 12 police coaches rolled up along the ring-road.

For the previous hour the atmosphere had been decidedly tense. It was, I imagine, like the atmosphere inside a Wembley dressing-room on Cup Final Day. The forced jokes and sick humour were well in evidence

A member of the Executive told us to remain cool and calm, and a budding comedian remarked "but don't get collected."

Rumour had got round that 30 to 40 police were turning up. The rumour in an ironic way helped the situation inside the building.

Various "scouting-parties" had gone out to Fletchamstead Highway Police Station to see how the forces were massing. The last car returned very rapidly, and the driver reported that a small number of coaches, vans and cars were waiting by the rugby ground opposite Canley College.

From that point onwards,the occupiers were prepared. Sleeping bags were collected and any doubts about whether this was yet another false alarm were dispelled.

The occupiers kept up a constant telephone link with the other occupied building,the telephone exchange. This link proved unnecessary.

At 7.30 exactly, a simultaneously eviction of the two buildings took place. As an observer inside the occupation, the general participant feeling was one of incredulity.

12 police coaches pulled ceremoniously along the ring road in front of WhitefieIds. Some people laughed, but it was the laughter of people who felt sick in the stomach. We counted the coaches as if we were boxing-match referees, and by 10 we had decided "out".

None of the people named in the writ were in occupation when the police came; this was fortunate, as the senior police office who came to the door of the Senate House were looking searchingly into the interior of the building. All they could see were worried students looking out at them!

A member of the Executive went out to inform the police of our request for them to wait for five minutes whilst all our possessions were gathered together. In effect, these five minutes were only a token shew of bravado, as everybody had their sleeping bags very ready anyway.

So we trooped out, orderly, quietly and with our sense of humour restored. When people realized no arrests were being made, the tension relaxed and the ludicrous ness of the situation began to dawn on the occupiers.

This feeling was increased when it was evident that the police were powerless to stop us marching 20 yards into the Arts Centre. The television cameras gave us a further sense of our role as passive participants in a Keystone Kops - style farce.

Temporarily we were heroes -and this contrasted to the fears of martyrdom that had been rampant earlier. Even the "hotheads" of earlier in the morning had realized that such a massive show of police "strength" was in our favour, and any retaliation could be suicidal, and not only counter-productive.

As the last people left the building, accompanied by police jeers, the police moved in, to presumably check that nobody was laying in hiding for them (they must have been joking).

The riot shields were put away, the police remounted their coaches and rode gallantly into the rising sun.

The Telephone Exchangers arrived in the Arts Centre with their story. Two coaches turned up and didn't even need to empty as the occupiers, outnumbered 10 to 1 raised the white flag (as opposed to the red and black which had previously been on show) and again left peacefully.

And so ended the occupation Pt 1."

Comments Concept by Thomas Meijer