Anti-cuts protestors occupied a lecture theatre at Edinburgh University's Appleton Tower last night. The occupation of Appleton Tower 2, which is part of a UK wide sit-in taking place at up to 20 universities, started around 4.30pm.
In a release, the group comprising of "students, workers and benefit claimants" said they were calling on the University to take a stand in opposing the London government’s cuts to higher education and proposed tuition fees increases.
“I am here tonight demonstrating in solidarity with everyone opposing the cuts being imposed by this government," says Edinburgh Social Anthropology (MSc) student Zoë Baillie.
"For me it is not just about fees, it’s about ensuring we have an education system to be proud of for years to come.”
Students in Scotland don't pay tuition fees and the Scottish parliament has voted against introducing them. However, the Scottish Government is currently preparing a green paper on the future of higher education in Scotland and students are concerned.
Yesterday, saw the second wave of student marches across the country in two weeks, against the UK government's education cuts. In Edinburgh, some 300 demonstrators marched through Edinburgh to the Liberal Democrat headquarters at Haymarket where they held a sit-down study-in in the middle of the street.
Central London saw the biggest demonstrations of the day, with reportedly 4,000 protestors kettled in by a police cordon, with peaceful marchers failing to stop masked activists resorting to violence, including vandalising a police van.
Edinburgh's protesters, who have started tweeting this morning from Appleton Tower, have called a rally at 12pm today, outside the Appleton Tower. Speakers lined up are City of Edinburgh UNISON Chair Duncan Smith, convener of SNP Youth Nathan Sparling, and other activists.