Statement on Police Action in King's

At 5:45pm on the 24th February several police officers entered King's College. Before they entered, they gave no indication to the Porters that they intended to make an arrest, nor that they were in pursuit.

The porters informed the police that they did not have permission to be on College grounds, and requested that they leave.  They were disregarded.  Using pepper spray and significant physical force, the police arrested a member of KCSU and a sixth-form student who was the guest of several KCSU members. While the arrests were in progress college porters and fellows continued to inform the police that they did not have permission to be on the premises, and repeatedly requested that they leave the college.

KCSU condemns what we believe to have been a disproportionate level of violence used by the police against these students during their arrest.  Furthermore, KCSU condemns the police's decision to enter the college despite repeated protestation from college authorities.  We believe that the police acted in contempt of the porters, students and fellows, and support the college's formal complaint against the police's actions.