Socialist Appeal - Cambridge University occupation latest

Cambridge University occupation latest

By Adam Booth
Friday, 30 January 2009
I last wrote to you all in the early hours of Tuesday evening when the members of the Cambridge student occupation were feeling particularly low and optimism was almost non-existent. On Wednesday morning, however, after a good night's sleep and a couple of rousing speeches from the Marxists within the movement, hopes were rejuvenated, and optimism was reinstalled. This was partly due to hearing that Sussex Uni had managed to get all their demands met after a week of occupation. This made us realise that we could not leave after only 5 days, and that we must wait longer and make harsher demands from the University. We decided that the way to pressure the University was to built up a solid base of support from the students, staff, and academics of Cambridge University, and other locally important figures. We managed to do this well, receiving messages of solidarity and support from a number of academics, and receiving a message of endorsement from David Howarth, the Lib Dem MP for Cambridge. We also managed to get 29 academics to sign an open letter to the University that condemned the University's lack of movement on our demands, their stifling of an important debate, and heavy handed treatment of the protesters. The University were also scared that we would win a large amount of support at the Emergency Student Union Meeting, which we had managed to arrange for the Wednesday night. If the Student Union were seen to support our demands and our occupation, then this would put serious pressure on the University to actual act. In light of this increased pressure, the University issued a statement to the protestors at 7.10pm on Wednesday night, just after our delegates had left for the student union meeting, which said that we were officially trespassing and that we would be prosecuted if still in the building by 11am the following morning. They also threw away all our food and prevented any of the protestors from re-entering the building if we left. This was a dirty tactic on behalf of the University. Not only were they essentially starving-out the protestors, but they had also managed to divide the movement, since 10 of us were at the Student Union, with a further 40 inside the occupied building. Most importantly, this completely undermined the democratic processes that are available to students, as it showed that they were unwilling to wait for the outcome of our motion for support from the Student Union. Unfortunately, our motion for support did not pass at the Student Union meeting. However, this was not because people disagreed with our principles or methods, but rather it was said that "the Student Union cannot make any political statements" and that the Student Union "is not a forum for political discussion". This just further vindicated our belief that direct action was the only method available to us, since the "democratic" means of political expression were openly stifling political debate, and were unable to actually take a political stance. With the threat of prosecution, members unable to re-enter the building, and no food, the decision was made by the occupiers that we would leave the Law Faculty at 11am on Thurs morning. The group exited the building with heads held high and we created a large gathering outside the building, issuing our leaving statement that: "we did not fail; the University failed us". Whilst we did not have any of our demands met completely, with only small concessions on a couple of issues, we are happy with what we have achieved. The University and the Student Union have been exposed for what they really are: tools and institutions for a bourgeoisie elite that aim to conserve the status quo. Meanwhile, the political consciousness has increased throughout the student body, and students who wish to make a change now know that there is a group of dedicated, active, left-wing students who share their views. The idea of the University as a place for progressive thought and political debate have been proved false, and everyone can see that the debate will only ever be allowed within a narrow spectrum of thought. More info about the Cambridge Occupation can be seen here: http://cambridgegazasolidarity.blogspot.com/