As part of the ongoing protests against the proposed introduction of a €450 fee for any student who needs to repeat or resit an exam a concert has been hastily organised in Trinity's Front Square. After the PR debacle that comprised last night's Great Siege Of Trinity 2018 where a group of students - who had occupied the Dining Hall since early on Tuesday - were sealed in by a private security firm brought in by the college, the occupiers emerged from the dining hall at 1pm today.
In order to celebrate the success of the occupation's achievements in drawing both national media attention to the issue as well as a response from the university Provost, Patrick Prendergast, the students' union organised a rally and concert to take place in Trinity's Front Square. The event featured speeches from students involved in the occupation as well as People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett, who has been a vocal and very visible advocate of the movement.
Hundreds of students turned out for the event to show their solidarity with the protest and, if I were a newspaper reporter in some mid-Western frontier town in 1880s United States, I would describe what subsequently transpired as a shit-house of a ho-down.
Hundreds turn out earlier today for #takebacktrinity protest against the College's recent decision to target vulnerable students for profit & their treatment of protesting students.
TCD front square has officially been taken over by students #takebacktrinity pic.twitter.com/MgUW274BHv
— Joseph Lanzillotta (@JoLanzillotta) March 15, 2018
The #TakeBackTrinity Open Air gig is still on going in front square with @EveBelleSongs! #OccupyTCD pic.twitter.com/ze8qvhbTvI
— TCD Students' Union (@tcdsu) March 15, 2018
On stage now is Munky! #TakeBackTrinity #OccupyTCD pic.twitter.com/craLCwNu6J
— TCD Students' Union (@tcdsu) March 15, 2018
Education is a right, and rights aren't given they're taken. pic.twitter.com/eZRIBx52WZ
— Oisín MacCanna (@OisMacC) March 15, 2018
This generation knows how to stand up for themselves. I was proud to stand there with so many of our Genetics students. #TakeBackTrinity pic.twitter.com/hfM3wAVeWQ
— Aoife McLysaght (@aoifemcl) March 15, 2018
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Hundreds of students rallied through TCD's Front Square today during the #TakeBackTrinity protest over resit exam fees. Read the full story here: https://t.co/dGu37wOoLU pic.twitter.com/Qva4Qqyev4
— Hayley Halpin (@HayleyHalpin1) March 15, 2018
