Bailiffs ‘forcefully remove’ University of Manchester students striking over soaring halls rent prices

Bailiffs have been filmed appearing to carry and drag several University of Manchester students from their halls, amid a rent strike over soaring prices.

Footage shows multiple officers carrying people by their arms and legs out of the Simon Building and a statement from campaign group University of Manchester Rent Strike 2023 claims student protesters were “forcefully evicted”.

“On Wednesday (22 March) morning officers of the High Court attended the Simon Building to enforce a court order, on a small group of students who had been illegally occupying rooms there since 13 February 2023,” the University of Manchester said, in a statement to The Independent.

They added: “We very much regret having to do this, but the situation has been going on for a significant amount of time and has caused ongoing disruption to students and the people who work in the building.”

Hundreds of students are understood to have cancelled their rent payments in January, demanding a 30 per cent reduction.

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