King’s have banned the Amnesty Cage Protest from their lawn this term, instead using the patch of grass for a “sponsored rowing event.”
Cambridge University Amnesty International have been forced to move their Lent Term cage protest for the first time in over a decade.
The cage protest, part of Amnesty’s Save the Human Appeal, has been on the lawn outside King’s for 14 years.
But after changes made at the beginning of this year, the College Council decreed that only one event should take place on the lawn each term, with only the Michaelmas spot going to Amnesty.
CUAI told The Tab that they still want to work closely with King’s, and are hopeful that they can return to the spot for Easter, when the lawn’s busy schedule will be determined by the Senior Tutor.
Grassroots campaign
King’s Bursar Keith Carne told Amnesty that if they wanted to “use [their] cage again in the Easter Term, then [they] should approach the Senior Tutor,” which The Tab understands CUAI has already done.
King’s students also seem to back the change. Tab favourite and King’s postgrad Juan Zober de Francisco told us “This isn’t a case of King’s rejecting Amnesty by any means – instead, quite simply the decision was taken to open up the front of our college for more charities to be able to use it.”
A view from the inside at the Michaelmas 2012 protest
The Amnesty Cage has been a central part of CUAI’s work in recent years, attracting volunteers, attention and a huge amount of awareness.
Previous participants who have braved the cold overnight have had encounters ranging from being fed chips by rogue drunks to meeting passers-by claiming to be part of the Burmese royal family.
Photographs by Sophie Hoare
Again, it's not that the college has "banned" Amnesty International – the college has long-lasting links with Amnesty and are happy to give the institution preferential status in the future.
Before people kick up a fuss as they read just the title and not the content of this article, I'd like to use this opportunity to invite people to go to the following link and donate for Josh and Ildar's sponsored erg.
The 24h tandem erg will be from noon on Saturday March 10th through to noon Sunday March 11th and will raise funds in support of Cancer Research UK. It's a worthy cause – please find out more here:
http://www.justgiving.com/row24h
Juan is getting likes for comments on The Tab? What is this madness.
Madness?
Well frankly, given how ludicrously biased the head- and taglines are it's not surprising…
Apart from this nebulous concept of awareness, has Amnesty achieved anything in those 14 years?
So the event is still happening, and it's moving so that another great event can happen too.
Bullshit as usual from the Tab. New news editors, please!
But a Cambridge institution has changed. Probably the sort of thing a Cambridge newspaper should be reporting on.
Jonny Singer, 'news' editor, are you a complete fucking idiot or just doing a truly excellent impression of one? The 'sponsored rowing event' is a charity fundraiser for cancer research, you gibbering tool. Why you would shower it with bad press and a deceptive front page headline is totally beyond me. You're no Rupert Murdoch – you're just really fucking dumb.
the worst referee in the world
I've shat out better articles than this. That's not even a joke. I really have.
No mention that the "sponsored rowing event" is in support of a cancer charity, as part of a series of events in King's over the last year in support of a current student.
The Tab is getting desperate. It's become the equivalent of a whiney child seeking attention by making up stories in order to appear interesting. If it weren't morally reprehensible, I'd slap such a child. If the Tab were a child, I'd slap it too.
I hereby volunteer the contents of my bedpan if the Tab are serious about improving the quality of their journalism. Be warned: my bowel is as incoherently angry as my mind.
As Juan has said the event that is taking place on the front lawn is a sponsored 24hr erging event to raise money for Cancer Research UK following on from the Go Bald for Cancer event in Michaelmas. It is not just Ildar and Josh though. The rest of the boat club will be out in force.
Kerr.
(this Juan Kerr in particular is quite to the point)
Why use the word banned when it is factually incorrect?
No worries, because later tonight this contemptible fuck will be back in his squalid hovel reeking of sweat and takeaway, rubbing one out whilst screeching, 'b-b-b-but amnesty more like am-nasty, finally got that little gem in print!'
Surprisingly accurate…
As the writer's bio claims he "lives next door to Osama Bin Laden's right hand man" I don't trust your judgement: you nasty, terror-plotting man.
Hey Juan, how about hanging out with postgrads now instead of trying to cling on to undergraduate life.
Yeah the quality of the Tab the last few days has been abysmal
cage dwelling spastic cunts
I always keep kids in a cage, but NOT on the lawn.
At the time Amnesty spoke to the Tab, we weren’t aware that the sponsored rowing was a charitable event. We are truly sorry for misrepresenting the actions and intentions of King’s College, and completely support their fundraiser for Cancer Research UK (http://www.justgiving.com/row24h). As always, we appreciate King’s generosity in allowing us to use their lawn when possible.
The caption of the picture says Michaelmas 2012, which I'm fairly sure hasn't happened yet…
Nice pics! have you noticed who is actually locked in the cage in the above pic?
Though he may have graduated, I detect the hand of James Burton.
http://cambridgetab.co.uk/news/tcs-news-editor-un…