STUDENT protesters warned of escalating threats and hostility today as they spent a sixth day occupying the offices of the University of Brighton’s vice-chancellor.

Members of an autonomous and anonymous student group first took over the space on the eighth floor of a building at the East Sussex institution’s Moulsecoomb campus on Thursday.

The move came after the university, which has splashed out £50 million on new building projects in the last two years, announced plans earlier in May to slash about 130 jobs by June 20. 

The group said it has received threatening letters from the institution’s lawyers, DMH Sallard, stating that the university is pursuing both criminal and civil action.

The students have also alleged poor behaviour and mistreatment on the part of university staff.

In a statement, they said: “We have received homophobic language and other verbal abuse from university employees. 

“We have been flooded with sewage and had a 12-hour delay in receiving supplies to clean it up. During those hours we were continually asked to open the doors, let people in, and gaslit about our answers.

“Our time here, and the management’s response, has demonstrated one thing clearly: that this university administration despises staff and students.

“We have one demand: cancel these redundancies or you will be burning our university, and our home, to the ground.”

A spokesperson for the university, which is seeking an injunction against the group, claimed that a “considerable amount of damage has already been caused by [these] individuals through their attempt to barricade themselves into the premises.

“The university has tried to engage with the individuals constructively and has drawn their attention to particular concerns regarding their health and safety and pre-existing problems with toilet facilities. 

“University staff have been instructed to avoid confrontation.”