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Isreali Ambassador Greeted by Protest During Cambridge Visit.

Cameraboy | 26.10.2014 16:49 | Palestine | Social Struggles | Terror War | Cambridge | World

On Monday October 20th Daniel Taub, the Isreali Ambassador for London visited The Cambridge Debating Union (aka the Union) to speak, and was greeting by a noisy protest.

The view from Park Street.
The view from Park Street.

Fortress Union!
Fortress Union!

Private Security, turned their backs on photographers, but I got this one!
Private Security, turned their backs on photographers, but I got this one!

Police were also present.
Police were also present.

This van had at least half a dozen Isreali State Security in it.
This van had at least half a dozen Isreali State Security in it.

Letting the punters inside the ring of steel.
Letting the punters inside the ring of steel.

Noise at the protest was provided variously by drums...
Noise at the protest was provided variously by drums...

...And Piquetero style saucepans!
...And Piquetero style saucepans!

Banner Art #1
Banner Art #1

Banner Art #2
Banner Art #2

Banner Art #3
Banner Art #3

Banner Art #4 (names of the dead)
Banner Art #4 (names of the dead)

Banner Art #5
Banner Art #5

When I grow up...
When I grow up...

No Left Turn, apparently.
No Left Turn, apparently.

Activists kept up the noise...
Activists kept up the noise...

...Throughout the whole evening.
...Throughout the whole evening.

Greeting attendees with more noise as they left.
Greeting attendees with more noise as they left.

Genuine 'spooks' were in evidence...
Genuine 'spooks' were in evidence...

...and a (mostly likely) bullet proof convoy of 4x4s.
...and a (mostly likely) bullet proof convoy of 4x4s.


According to The Cambridge Student (TCS) newspaper all laptops and 'phones were banned from the debating chamber and the Union's usual live web stream was also switched off.

As well as this the Union building looked like a fortress outside, with in effect a ring of steel fences blocking all entrances, along with not only private security gaurds, but it turns out about half a dozen specialist Isreali state security in attendance, ironically dressed in black shirts.

There was clearly some collusion with the Isreali team and the local police, as they were seen getting into a blue riot van outside on Park Street, and then spirited away at great speed to destination unknown (probably Parkside station).

It would also seem that from speaking to people who attended the talk there was also possibly some selection of questioners going on, as attendees who repeatedly put up their hands to ask Palestine related questions were overlooked.

A coalition of both local Cambridge Palestine Solidarity Campaign (CamPalSoC) and a student Palestine Society surrounded the building throughout the whole session, making their own feelings clear to all inside by being as noisy as possible! This entailed chanting and singing, whistles, drums, loudhailers and piquetero style use of bashing saucepans to maximise decibel levels.

By all accounts the tactic worked, as according to talk attendees, the protest was clearly heard inside the building throughout the whole session.

Things got very interesting at the end when the Abassador left the building, as it was like something from a spy movie. Not only did Mr. Taub have a convoy of three 4x4 vehicles in tow with blacked windows, but also a full complement of dark coated 'spooks', replete with the requsite head mounted comms and prerequisite bad attitude.

One of those spooks, on seeing me taking pictures made a special effort to cross Bridge Street and push me about! It didn't work, as I'd already got some pictures (including his), which are published here.

Nice to know that freedom of the press is so important to them.

The Union itself was recently rescued from financial oblivion (an approximately £700k debt) by a controversial teaming up with Deloitte, although when they continue to book controversial speakers like Daniel Taub, which compells them to spend who-knows-how-much on private security it should come as no surprise they got into trouble.

Cameraboy
- Homepage: http://campalsoc.org/

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Israel will never be defeated!

27.10.2014 17:51

Israel will never be defeated and that is a fact! Palestine an terrorists have tried to destroy Israel for decades and have always failed!

proud Israeli

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All

27.10.2014 19:50

So a well advertised event several weeks in advance and this was the extent of the protest you could muster ? Aside from the usual Jew haters there was clearly no normal people there.

What an utter and complete failure.

There's a reason we laugh at you.

Jezzer

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Israel

29.10.2014 08:02

More empty protests while Israel celebrates over 75 years of free open democracy and a homeland for the people. You people lost and are now a pathetic, irrelevance.

When we see these protests and how few people you can convince to attend we sit back and laugh at you.

A

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Surprised

29.10.2014 15:25

Amazing to see how few people turned out to oppose the Israeli ambassador and how little security there was around him. The Israeli's must be feeling very confident these days if that is the extent of the protection he gets at a high profile event like this.

Surprised person

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Protestor numbers

29.10.2014 16:02

I don't think we did too bad, I agree it would have better if more had been there but we all recognise the general level of protest against the Israeli state has fallen accross Europe.

At the height (when he arrived) there was around 30 people protesting (not too bad) and even at the end of the evening when is armoured convoy left there was still about 10 of us there.

Cameraboy

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just an oppinion

19.01.2015 01:03

grow up you idiot

anon

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