Manchester students tear down campus fences on first day of lockdown

Wil Jones

Students said it made them feel like they were “in a prison”

Students at the University of Manchester have torn down fences around their halls of residence, which were erected at the start of the second lockdown.

Residents at the Fallowfield halls say they awoke to find 7ft metal barriers being put up between buildings.

Hundreds of students then began protesting and eventually pulled down the fences.

Fence is well and truly down at UoM ✊ pic.twitter.com/BXfUMukACj

— Ben McGowan (@BenMcGowan_) November 5, 2020

Fences being taken down in fallowfield pic.twitter.com/TzS51Xepjh

— Joe Hindley (@Joehindley11) November 5, 2020

Under the new lockdown guidelines in England, students have been told not to travel back and forthbetween their permanent home and student residence during term time, and only go home at the end of term.

Students told BBC News that the fences made them feel like they were in a “prison”.

“They’re huge metal barriers, they’re connected to one another and there’s literally no gaps,” First-year Management student Megan told BBC News.

“There is fencing around the whole outside, we feel like it’s completely unnecessary. It makes it feel like we’re in a prison.”

And that’s what happens when you protest #welovetoseeit #uom #fences #fallowfield pic.twitter.com/iSXh0qVnFb

— Alice S (@alxce_emily) November 5, 2020

University of Manchester President and Vice-Chancellor Prof Dame Nancy Rothwell apologised for the “concern and distress caused” in a statement.

“The fencing was intended as a response to a number of concerns received over recent weeks from staff and students on this site about safety and security; particularly about access by people who are not residents,” the statement continued.

“There was never any intent to prevent students from entering or exiting the site.”

The Vice-Chancellor confirmed that the fences were being taken down on Friday morning, and alternative measures, including security patrols, were being put in place.