Members of Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) staged a sit-in at the office of the junior dean and other senior management today in protest of high rents and College’s overnight guest policy.
At 11am today, roughly 20 protestors entered the East Theatre and hung banners from its windows reading “cut the rents” and “Trinity is pricing students out of education”.
Protestors demand a 30% rent reduction and that students with disabilities do not have to higher rent “simply because the accessible rooms are more expensive”. They also demand College abolish the overnight guest policy that campus residents must register guests before midnight.
College security quickly came to the scene, blocking other students from entering the building.
TCDSU President László Molnárfi claimed security also attempted to take the banners from the windows “on command from senior management”.
TCDSU President-elect Jenny Maguire also said staff “physically attempted to move students away from their banners and flags”.
College denied security tried to remove any banners from the East Theatre and declined to comment on claims that staff attempted to physically move protestors.
Photo by Rory Chinn for Trinity NewsA member of Trinity Sport entered the building to meet with protestors, claiming that some were due to participate in the Trinity on the Move fundraiser for the student hardship fund.
He asked protestors that they not stage a sit-in while the fundraiser is happening on campus.
In response, Maguire said: “Multiple things can happen at once. If we all are for supporting students within a broader level, then one way isn’t the only way, we must do it comprehensively.”
Molnárfi said that, despite promises, the union still has not received engagement from the junior dean regarding the overnight guest policy on campus.
Maguire also noted: “If we are only engaged with if we cause a disruption and pull resources, then it speaks to the broader issue that we just need to be taken seriously.”
Molnárfi told Trinity News members of TCDSU were taking part in Trinity on the Move and he would be participating from 4pm to 5pm following the sit-in.
