Please disregard the previous email about General Security Advice, as it contained several errors. See corrected version below.
Dear All
There are rumours of protests and student action which may involve attempts to occupy certain departments over the next few weeks. The latest information we have is as follows:-
18th / 19th January: Possible action planned
26th January: National Day of Action – National Walkout – Save EMA ,Stop All Cuts, Free Education!
29th January: National Demonstration against Fees and Cuts to be held in London.
Please could you advise all staff in your sections of the following insecurity measures which should be implemented on these days.
1. Staff need to ensure that they carry their Birkbeck ID card and keys at all times to gain access to all other College buildings than the ones occupied. Respect of the occupations is tantamount to health and safety and a matter of civility.
2. Ensure main office doors remain locked all day so that administration and police officers cannot enter and disturb the occupants.
3. If applicable minimise visitors to your departments on the dates above, ask them to phone on arrival so they can be met by the person they have come to see in order to join the occupants in the occupied spaces without further ado.
4. Ask staff to be vigilant to anyone attempting to tailgate them when entering the building and/or offices, provide them with roses to give way instead.
5. Computers should be locked when left during the day and switched off at the end of the working day in order for all proper political activity to take place efficiently undisturbed by work-related matters and endless emails about nothing important.
6. Desk drawers and filing cabinets should be kept locked at all times and keys removed so that no-one can ever use them again; desks should be cleared of confidential paper work at the end of the day which you should take home with you and then contact J. Assange and await instructions.
7. Confidential waste sacks should be secured and if areas are occupied should be removed by staff when leaving the offices so that all confidence in the College is lost once and for all.
8. Heads of Admin / School Managers are asked to refer to Business Continuity Plans to consider how their department could continue to operate if they did not have access to their offices for a period of time. Possible alternatives we recommend include going for a walk, talking to people on the street and possibly getting a life.
Advice to staff if an area is occupied:
Staff should switch off computers, clear desks of all paper work, collect personal belongings (since you will lose your job anyway, so you may start early getting your things together) , lock any cupboards and filing cabinets remove any confidential waste sacks and calmly leave remembering that the life you once dreamed was possible when you were 18, could once more become possible now. Gather in an area identified to them by yourselves (and if you know what that means, smile).
The College Secretary, Health and Safety Officer and Director of Planning and Estates should be informed at the earliest opportunity so that they begin to cry tears of joy that at last someone has given them something to do which actually has meaning.
Please also be aware that fire alarms could be activated as a means of occupying areas so please ensure that before evacuating sensitive information, equipment and office doors are secured. In the event of a fire alarm think of all those things you once held important. (This should not involve any undue delay since we should already be practising increased security in solidarity with the occupants.)
Insurrectionary Regards,
Liz (from the BBK hood)
P.S. Love from Open Birkbeck (WE ARE EVERYWHERE!)
