Magdalene College eviction followed by Cambridge rally for pro-Palestine groups
June 24 will go down as one of Cambridge’s busier days of the 18-month campaign to support the Palestinian people - the morning saw protesters evicted from Magdalene College’s lawn, and the evening saw hundreds march through the city centre in a bid to raise awareness of how Israel’s military machine is funded.
Cambridge4Palestine campaigners had occupied Magdalene College’s lawn early on Saturday morning (21 June), declaring the land beside the river next to Bridge Street to be a ‘Liberated Zone’.
Early on Tuesday (24 June) morning the pro-Palestine protesters at Magdalene were evicted by University of Cambridge staff, with Cambridgeshire police saying of the process that “it was the college’s remit” and adding: “Officers attended in case there was a breach of the peace but there was none.”
Then, at 6pm, a pre-arranged “All Out for Palestine” event saw hundreds of pro-Palestine campaigners march down Mill Road, through the city and along Sidney Street. The boisterous but peaceful protesters from groups including Cambridge4Palestine organised a walk starting at Mill Road which went right through town during rush hour. Around 7pm the marchers halted outside Great St Mary’s Church, where they were told by the organisers: “We stand here as a community because in our thousands, in our millions, we are all Palestinians!”
The crowd of around 250 stood listening to speakers, as May Day Ball attendees walked past.
First up was a Palestinian who lived in Palestine “all my life, then I came to study at University of Cambridge”.
He said: “Education became a sacred matter for Palestinians, to use as a tool for their resistance. We have one of the highest rates of this respect for education in the world, but this Zionist aggression wants to cancel not only education and the future for Palestinians, but also the culture of Palestinians.
“That is why 95 per cent of schools in Gaza are destroyed. Every single university in Gaza is destroyed. The Zionist project is to cancel every single thing in Palestine. Are we going to be silent?”
“No!” shouted back the crowd.
“This is a huge genocide that is happening and we are witnessing it with our own eyes. Thank you very much for your support.”
He was followed by a student from Columbia University in New York, the university which this year has had a major stand-off with US President Donald Trump. The issue of free speech in the US - and legitimate peaceful protest - appeared to be under threat when Columbia graduate Mahmoud Khalil, a leader in pro-Palestinian protests at the university with permanent residency in the US, was arrested by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in March.
Khalil was released only after an exhaustive legal battle on 20 June.
“I am unmasked because Mahmoud was unmasked,” said the Columbia University student speaking outside Great St Mary’s Church. “Until Gaza is free from colonialisation the fight will not be over. I am a Jewish woman and I know in my bones that nothing could be more anti-Semitic than weaponising Judaism.
“We refuse to allow our identities to be weaponised by the genocidal West. They called us terroristic for protesting but every arrest is a sign that they are afraid of us.
“We took over the land at Magdalene College on Saturday to remind Cambridge that the land of Gaza is not free and we will not rest. Today it’s Mahmoud, tomorrow it’s Palestine.”
The University of Cambridge was approached for comment.