Local and national media were watching...
...Some a bit closer than others!
The faces of the next generation...
...And they're already angry.
Surrounded by riches, but forced into poverty.
Placard Art #1
Placard Art #2
Placard Art #3 Nuff Sed!
Placard Art #4 My favourite!
Human Art #5
Human Art #2, standing atop a column.
Senate House was occupied...
...By Police! Don't see that every day.
Despite the best efforts of students to get in themselves.
Human Art #3, in the crush.
Wielding batons against unarmed students.
Thanks for the pose guys, you're stars.
The occupation ends.
F.I.T. were present - what were they expecting?
Something the tourists don't see.
Arguably Senate House did end up being occupied, but by ranks of baton wielding police - something of a first in recent times, and quite bizarre to see, as the those famous arches usually have smiling graduates wearing mortarboards walking beneath them.
A sign of the times indeed.
F.I.T. (Forward Intelligence) teams were also in evidence, perhaps with a view to scouting out the next generation of activists (?), as apparently, along with sixth formers and undergraduates, it transpires that some students had also walked out of school lessons as well.
This too has not happened since the heady days of March 2003, the peak of the protests against the Iraq War.
However, two arrests notwithstanding, the police seemed to show more restraint (in some respects) this time, although I did see a few students being manhandled in the crush at the doors of Senate House.
A word to the wise: a GUARANTEED way of disenfranchising the next generation of young adults is to have them being mauled by heavyhanded police.
The end of the occupation came when it was collectively agreed that all present would leave the grounds of Senate House en masse, so that there would be no further opportunity for the police to pick off/arrest any stragglers.
As many of you will know by now, the simple fact that this happened at a world reknowned centre of learning (a so-called 'Oxbridge' city) means that the actions of the few have already been flashed across the country to the many watching at home.
Let's hope that the actions today will serve as a warning to the people in Whitehall (and Millbank) that the collective message is clear:
We will not take these cuts and tuition fees lying down, we will fight you all the way.
This issue is rapidly becoming this generation's Poll Tax, and like that other notorious levy on the poor, tuition fees could also bring down a government.
You have been warned Clegg and Cameron.
And while we're on the subject, I have a short message for the N.U.S.
Come out from your ivory towers, step off the pedestal of your moral high ground and show a little solidarity with your members, because you're currently in danger of completely losing credibility with a whole generation of students.
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"Police brutality mars peaceful protest at Cambridge"
25.11.2010 21:36
StudentNews
Further Observations...
26.11.2010 18:07
In my defence, it was difficult to see everything that was happening in the middle of the scrum near Senate House doors, and only much later did I learn the truth of what I couldn't see at the time.
Now, seeing as I know full well that the police regularly monitor Indymedia traffic, the next section of this comment I will address directly to them.
Shame on you Cambridgeshire Constabulary - what did you hope to achieve with this display of naked aggression against unarmed protestors?
I shall tell what you have actually done with this action.
You have just succeeded in one day of doing what any number of left wing political agitators try to do over a longer period of time - you have instilled a deep sense of distrust of the police and other authority into the next generation of young adults.
You have radicalised and possibly mobilised them against you.
Well done for that, good job.
If you want young adults to trust you again, you need to go back to school yourselves and learn how to be CIVIL servants, and learn that you should not always go to the last resort first time every time.
Sometimes a lighter touch is required, instead of going straight into mauling and beating people.
We don't live in boxing rings, we live in the real world, where it is rarely ever appropiate to use this approach.
You see, not everyone who goes on public demonstrations can be or should be viewed as a potential criminal to be clubbed into submission. Many people protest because they care passionately about something, but think that there is no other option left open to them, due to the disempowering nature of the corporate edifice that is parlaimnentary politics.
Until this system changes for the better and becomes far more representative of what people want, there will will always be protests by decent honest people (whatever their age), who deserve to be shown a little more respect than what they got on Wednesday.
Furthermore, why was this incident allowed to happen on Cambridge University land, in full view of Proctors who just stood by and let it happen?
Until there is a public inquiry, Cambridge University is also indicted by what happened on Wednesday.
Cameraboy