Proposed by Stephen Mullen, North West Regional Councillor

Seconded by Pav Akhtar, NUS Black Students’ Officer

NUS Council Believes:

1. An important role of NUS and Students' Unions is to defend its members against unfair college practices.
2. Some institutions are violating students' right to organise, to express political views or to criticise college policies.
3. Matthew Boulton College expelled two students for distributing newsletters opposing the Iraq invasion and their college's ban on religious societies. This expulsion has undermined their studies and opportunity to apply to university.
4. Lancaster University successfully pressed charges of 'aggravated trespass' against six students and graduates - the 'George Fox Six' - who protested against a university event involving arms dealers.
5. Imperial College's new dress code bans students 'from wearing clothing which obscures the face such as a ..veil." This undermines freedom to practice religion and is wrong. Islamic societies have faced suspicion, unjust threats of closure and had legitimate activities curtailed.

NUS Council Further Believes:

1. These clampdowns take place in a wider context of attacks on civil liberties.
2. Recently proposed 'anti-terror legislation' is misguided, and risks undermining the fight against terrorism by criminalising whole communities whose co-operation is indispensable to preventing attacks.
3. The governments' reviewer of anti-terror legislation - Lord Carlisle - recently reversed his support for ID cards warning they're of limited value in preventing terrorism. An LSE study estimates introducing ID cards would cost £15bn.

NUS Council Resolves:

1. Defend students' right to peacefully protest.
2. Support the 'George Fox Six' and the 'Matthew Boulton Two'. Oppose Imperial's ban on the veil.
3. Oppose ID cards, and anti-terror legislation that stigmatises communities.

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