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Salient. Victoria University Students' Newspaper. Volume 39, Number 23. September 20, 1976

Student response to the arrests

Student response to the arrests

On the very day of the arrests, a solidarity rally was held with over 300 students despite the shock and the fear.

A mass sit-in was organised by 500 students despite the rumours on campus of more arrests, and pressure from the administration and frightened parents.

Newspapers had deliberately played down the students' arrests and the subsequent statements and demands made by the Students' Union. Tens of thousands of copies of their publication, the Singapore Technocrat were cyclostyled overnight and distributed to the public to tell the truth.

Despite the resulting fear, many students finally came forward to run for the elections to carry on the socially-orientated trend of work. The authorities' attempts to disrupt the elections was a total failure.

Whenever criticised the PAP will always claim it has the peoples' support since it has been democratically elected. But the recent arrest to suppress opposition and to sabotage even student leaders clearly shows the kind of "democratic" elections Singaporeans have.