13.03.2003

Feeling empowered

CPGB and Scottish Socialist Party member Sarah MacDonald helped organise a 200-strong walkout from Dundee Art College for the students' day of action against the war on March 5. She spoke to Ian Mahoney

There were actually very few of us doing the organising. I personally got round to talk to most people - but we also used lots of posters and leaflets. I went around the fine art studios announcing the strike and managed to persuade some of the first-year tutors to advise their students to walk out - which gave them confidence. I got the pubs around the college to put up the poster advertising the event - I assured them they would get extra custom if the students walked out of their lectures! So we relied heavily on indirect mobilisation, trying to catch a mood amongst students. Which we obviously did. We marched down to the main body of the university as a bloc and occupied it. There would have been more of us actually, but we learned later that the security staff were turning people away at the door. Some of the tutors joined us, so numbers did swell. I spoke for the CPGB and a comrade from the Socialist Workers Party said a few words. It left people feeling more empowered. When war breaks out, we plan to walk out - and this time, we'll be bigger!