Cambridge for Palestine vacate Senate House lawn vowing ‘We will be back’

Pro-Palestine students who reoccupied the University of Cambridge’s Senate House lawn have vacated the site, stating: “We will be back”.

The so-called ‘student intifada’ – which continues at Greenwich House – saw student campaigners take over the Senate House lawn last Wednesday (27 November) following a 3am operation in a new escalation of the stand-off between student organisation Cambridge for Palestine and the University of Cambridge, which called the move “unacceptable”.

The Senate House lawn had been briefly occupied in the summer as part of a protest against the university’s investments in arms corporations. That protest was part of a wider occupation of King’s College lawn that was dismantled after more than 100 days in July, following an agreement between the protesters and the university.

Cambridge for Palestine is “a coalitional effort - an integration of student efforts, faculty, staff members, and broader community members” of the university. By 11am last Wednesday (27 November), around 20 Cambridge for Palestine protesters had set up a camp in front of the 1720s building.

By Sunday, they were gone. A Cambridge for Palestine spokesperson told the Cambridge Independent: “The encampment has closed, the one at Greenwich House is indefinite and continues.”

The group alleged that the University of Cambridge had not adhered to the agreement set out in July, specifically with regard to the ‘working party’ set up to address the timeframe for divestment in arms sector investments. On Instagram, Cambridge for Palestine said the university “delayed the timeline to the end of the academic year”, cancelled the proposed meeting on 25 November, and stalled the process, including by ”unilaterally restricting” the number of students from six to two in the working party set up to discuss ending arms investments.

The University of Cambridge said last week: “On 25 November, the University Council reaffirmed membership of the working group to explore the University’s relationship with the defence industry. The terms of reference for this group were also reaffirmed. This important work will now commence.”

Cambridge for Palestine says it ended the Senate House lawn encampment to avoid disruption to Cambridge University’s graduation programme.

“This end is a temporary one,” said the Cambridge for Palestine post on Instagram. “In the past week, we have shown the University of Cambridge the power of our movement. As this action comes to a close, student members for Cambridge for Palestine continue to occupy Kanafani House, previously known as Greenwich House.

“Our encampment from last spring was only a beginning, and this one is not nearly at an end. We will ensure that the University does not see normalcy until we see divestment and liberation.”

The University of Cambridge was approached for comment regarding the end of the Senate House lawn protest.