Hundreds of Sussex University students boycotted classes yesterday to join a campus protest against sanctions slapped on five activists by bosses.

Many formed picket lines at the Brighton-based university's gates and outside lecture halls from 8am to urge students to stay away from campus.

And around 300 students and staff flooded the main square in the afternoon for a rally to demand that bosses drop threats to expel or fine the five.

Vice-chancellor Michael Farthing lifted suspensions on Monday against the students who were singled out for taking part in a recent occupation.

He said "the immediate need for the suspensions to remain in force has now passed" and pleaded with student leaders to call off their protest.

But a democratic meeting of over 500 students shunned his request because he refused to completely drop disciplinary action.

Sanction-hit student Adriano Merola Marotta said they had received "heartwarming support from students and staff."

But he told the Star: "They are still going ahead with the disciplinary hearings in a kangaroo court that will undoubtedly find us guilty of being political.

"We're being charged with being politically conscience at a university that advertises itself as a politically conscience university. It's surreal."

The students were reinstated after more than 9,000 people signed a petition and 300 university staff wrote to Mr Farthing.

And Mr Merola Marotta explained how, during his campus ban, one lecturer held a seminar in his living room so that he could attend.

"He got the entire class to come to his house, that was amazing," he said.

Sussex students will also be among thousands taking part in today's "cops off campus" national day of action, which is being held in response to the brutal police crackdown on last week's occupation of the University of London (UL) senate building.

The Britain-wide day of action has been organised by UL students and is backed by the National Union of Students (NUS).

NUS vice-president Rachel Wenstone said students must "defend one our most basic and celebrated civil liberties - the right to peaceful protest."