London- Students at the London School of Economics staged a sit-in on Wednesday in protest at the university’s association with the Libyan regime.

About 12 took over the offices of LSE director, Sir Howard Davies. The LSE has already issued a statement saying it is reconsidering its links with Libya “as a matter of urgency”. But the students demanded the university paid back the £300,000 it had accepted of a £1.5m grant from a charity wing of the regime. The grant was pledged in 2009 by the Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation.

The funds have so far been used to develop a research programme on North Africa, focused on politics, economics and society. The student demonstrators called on the LSE management to “repay” the £300,000 already spent by creating a scholarship fund for underprivileged Libyan students.

The university said no more of the £1.5m donation from the Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation would be accepted. Saying about half of the £300,000 already accepted had been spent and its council would now consider what to do with the remaining funds, taking into account the views of LSE students.