Wednesday, 28 January 2009

Action by the Registrary

At 6:40 today a proctor interrupted the discussion about our negotiations and informed the occupiers that unless a response was issued to the registrary by 7pm 'events would take their course', adding that the registrary 'had thought this was clear'. At 7:04, minutes after an email had been sent to inform the registrary that due to the technicalities of our decision-making process this would not be possible, the senior proctor entered and distributed the following notice:

To all person participating in the Cambridge Gaza Solidarity Occupation ("The Occupation") at the Faculty of Law, 10 West Rd, Cambridge, CB3 9BZ, ("The Premises")

The Chancellor, Master and Scholars of the University of Cambridge ("the University") are the freehold owners and are entitled to possession, of the Premises.

On behalf of the University, I hereby give you notice that you are required to leave the Premises by 7.30 this evening. Once you have left the Premises, you will not be permitted to re-enter them. Any person on the Premises after 7.30pm this evening for the purpose of participating in the Occupation will be committing a trespass and the University expressly reserves its entitlement to enforce its legal rights against such persons without further notice. Please note that security staff will be instructed from 9pm today to prevent persons from entering the Premises who do not have a lawful reason connected with the activities and business of the Faculty of Law for doing so and a valid University card.

Jonathan Nicholls



  1. see the violence inherent in the system.

  2. Really, I do feel for you poor sods. What are you, 19 or 20 year olds? Don't you think that you're major patsies for the careerist protesters, with salaries from either Cambridge Uni or trade unions or entirely different companies, which are using you as cannon fodder?

    I say this from the bottom of my heart, run and run now! Prof. Feldman is worth ten of your controllers.

  3. I think the university have undermined their position here when they state: "The Chancellor, Master and Scholars of the University of Cambridge ("the University") are the freehold owners"... Doesn't this imply that ownership of the property is by a collective rather than an executive?

    It is clear that there are a large number scholars within the university who support the occupation (in fact, it is not clear that this definition of "scholars" doesn't include the occupiers themselves). Were they consulted, and was due process followed in issuing this ultimatum?

  4. Sounds like a very polite way of saying 'f**k off' to me! Maybe they're hinting at something

  5. Once again, just flee with only your dignity in tatters. Any chance of a continued academic career, grab it!

  6. They will have checked this with their lawyers. Please listen to them. You've made your point, don't take it too far...

  7. What's the haps?

    Are you still occupying the place?

  8. Oxford has made a welcome response, see I'm sure Cambridge won't want to be too far behind Oxford (but fear not, it will never lead ;-)).



    this is me laughing my considerable balls off you ignorant fuckers.

    if there is anything that I can do to make you lives worse from this point on, rest assured, I will.

  10. I don't know where "alec macpherson" got the impression that there were "careerist protesters, with salaries from either Cambridge Uni or trade unions or entirely different companies" present in the building...?

  11. A message of solidarity from the Cambridge Action Network (CAN) meeting

    People present at the Cambridge Action Network meeting on the 27th of
    January want to relay all their support to the action at the Cambridge
    University Law Faculty and their demands. Beyond the demands, we
    applaud the commitment of the participants to direct democracy and
    transparency of procedure, that illustrate once more the phony
    representation structure afforded to the students by the university and
    through the student unions.

    Local CAN activists have been practically supporting the occupation
    through the provision of transport and equipment, and are prepared
    to lend further support to actions the occupation decides. We resolve
    to be by your side in particular if the University decides to increase the
    level of confrontation or threaten any participant in the name of its
    so-called discipline.

    Many of CAN have been prevented from participating in the political
    debates and events by the University authorities restricting access to
    the space, even during hours when it is normally open to the public.
    We strongly condemn this official division between "town and gown"
    that is being perpetuated, and see it as a serious violation of
    freedom of speech and association.

  12. There are definitely outsiders involved, yes?


    Noam Chomsky, MIT Professor and Jewish, Video on Gaza:

    Professor Norman Finkelstein vs Martin Indyk (ex-US Ambassador to Israel) over Gaza and the "Peace Process" 1/8/09 Democracy Now (USA respected political analysis news)

    Part 1:

    Part 2:

    Part 3:

    Part 4:

  14. They have checked this with their lawyers?

    They are some of the world's foremost lawyers!

    Violence inherent in the system?

    You imbecile.
    The only violence seems to have come from the occupation side.
    I am amazed - and slightly disappointed - at how restrained the university has been.

  15. Just read that Oxford letter.

    Smart operator.

    Hood: if you leave we'll think about making some gesture at some future time
    Students: OK
    Hood: now fuck off and don't do it again

  16. Nice move. Oxford handled it well.

  17. >> I don't know where "alec macpherson"

    Yet again, a poster using a palpably false name attempts to deny me ownership of so much my real name. It would be pathetic were it not so funny.


    Where did you get the impression that I said that?

  18. To Jack:

    I don’t say I agree in everything in this Camera-article but it has good points:

    The security barrier (which Simon absurdly says Israel refers to as a "wall") was said to "appropriate" land and "separat[e] farmers from their land." But its essential purpose, to protect Israelis and prevent suicide bombers from reaching their targets, was ignored. Likewise, Simon described checkpoints as "humiliating," and allowed Barghouti to allege that they primarily exist "to block the movement of people from one place to another," but failed to reference the number of .. [Palistani] attacks they’ve prevented, and failed to mention that, like the barrier, most checkpoints didn't exist before the .. .. [Palistani] initiated their war of terror in late 2000.

    I urge you to follow sources as CAMERA, Memri, and other reliable sources, instead of spreading biased misojudaic (miso = hate) information.

    /Anders Branderud,
    Geir Toshav; Netzarim
    Advancing Logic as Halakhic Authority
    Welcoming Jews & non-Jews