Saturday 7th June 2025
Blog Page 1428

Carter leads Blues to fourth win in a row

Samuele Volpe
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Carter leads Blues to fourth win in a row

A foggy morning gave way to a brisk, but dry, afternoon which was perfect for a winter’s day of rugby. Although the Oxford U-21s lost bravely to their cantabrian counterparts, the blues team stormed to a 33-15 win despite a controversial red card for last year’s hero, scrum-half Samson Egerton.

The game began with a taste of the dominance that the Oxford forwards would enjoy throughout, but Cambridge initially dealt with the Dark Blues well, and raced into a 7-0 lead thanks to a Nick Jones try which was duly converted by fly-half Donald Stevens. 

Oxford’s talismanic captain John Carter responded though, bundling over at the end of a powerful drive from all eight Oxonian forwards. Unfortunately for those of an Oxford persuasion though, the conversion was missed by number 10 Jonathan Hudson, who struggled early on to find his range, hitting the post on this occasion. 

A penalty for the tabs was then followed by a wonderful break from Henry Lamont which left the score at 10-10, and then Hudson knocked over a penalty to finally edge the Oxford side in front as the teams went into half-time.

The second half began at an electric pace, with Egerton breaking through in to ground in the corner and put some daylight between the teams. Hudson made a tricky conversion, and at 20-10 up, it seemed as though the Oxford pack had laid the foundations for the team to pull away. 

Minutes after this try however, the referee spent a seemingly interminable amount of time deliberating an infraction at a ruck. Controversially, his deliberation ended as he called Egerton over and sent him to the stands for what was officially described as “interfering with the face of an opponent.” The first red card ever shown in this fixture was always going to provoke a reaction, and fascinatingly it was the fourteen men who stepped up, camping out in the Cambridge half as we edged towards the last quarter of the game. 

The pressure told as hooker Nick Gardner scored, and then after a consolation try from prop Toby May, two more penalties from Hudson put the game beyond the light blues as the game drew to a close. 

Man of the match went to the imperious, and seemingly ageless, Oxford captain Carter, and all eyes are now looking forward to next year and asking whether the boys from Iffley can possibly make it an historic five-in-a-row. 

Teams:

OURFC: Taylor; Hughes, Janney, Turner, Lamont; Hudson, Egerton; Anderson, Gardner, Williams, Rickner, Rowlands, A Jones, Harris, Carter.

Replacements: Heathcote, Wisson, Macdonald, Reeson-Price, MacGilchrist, Shorthose, Macdonald, Doe.

The Tabs: May; N Jones, C Morrison, Cook, Murdoch; Stevens, Peck; Briggs, Pascoe, Sanders, Annett, J Baker, Mather, Smith, Farmer.

Replacements: Calvert, Yeeles, Alderson, Viljoen, O’Sullivan, Tullie, Abraham, Boyd-Moss.

Here are a selection of tweets from the @CherwellSport account which live-tweeted the game:

 

Mandela’s legacy: how should students respond?

Billy Beswick
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Mandela’s legacy: how should students respond?

Nelson Mandela’s dead, and I don’t really know how I’m meant to feel about it. I’m not sad; he lived to 95 which would be impressive even if he hadn’t spent 27 years in prison. I could celebrate his legacy, like world leaders did at his memorial on Tuesday – but I’m not sure that’s appropriate either. So, as is my inclination when my emotions are undetermined and confused, I’ve decided to get angry. Nelson Mandela’s death, like the death of Margaret Thatcher earlier this year, reminds me that the Millennial Generation is like the youngest sibling at the dinner table – jealous of all they missed out on because they were born too late. We look back at the social and political upheaval of the 20th century, and fail to see that our own times are just as important, and that there are still things to fight and struggle for.

Take Wadham College’s famous JCR Motion, which requires that ‘Free Nelson Mandela’ be played at the end of every bop. At first glance this seems uplifting. It is a reminder of a great cause that Oxford students fought for (or if you were a member of the Federation of Conservative Students, fought against). It demonstrates a past of student activism and political engagement, and yet there is something unsettling about it: It feels like nothing has moved forward. The JCR president at the time, Simon Milner, is quoted on the Wadham College website as saying, ‘Then [1987], the motion was for the song to be played until Mandela was freed.” Playing the song was an act of protest, intended to show solidarity with the ANC. There is nothing wrong with continuing to play the song after Mandela’s release, in celebration of his freedom and the end of apartheid, but when the only JCR motion that takes on a political cause is 23 years out of date, I start to question the student body’s convictions.

The largest student protest in the UK in the 21st century was in 2010, and it was against the tuition fee hike. Though Oxford students might feel these protests were unsuccessful, as they still face £9,000 annual tuition fees, they did convince the Welsh Assembly to oppose the rise. When students come together they can do a great deal to influence public opinion. If students had no political sway, then the hard-liners in the Communist Party would not have suppressed the Tiananmen Square protests with such violence. It seems outrageous then that in the last 13 years our largest protest has been against a hike in the amount we have to pay for education. Not the illegal invasion of Iraq, not the destruction of the welfare state, not Israeli settlements in occupied territory, not the occupation of Tibet which has resulted in the self-immolation of Tibetan monks, not the persecution of the LGBT community in Russia, but the rise in tuition fees was the only thing that stirred the students of this country to action. Even Oxford students who went out in Michaelmas to support the walk out of Academic staff managed to distort the protest and turn it into a discussion of Hamilton’s proposal to further increase tuition fees.

I realise that this is perhaps the left-wing counterpart to Tory musings on the good old days of cricket on the village green, but what happened to the fire that was in the bellies of the Wadham JCR in 1987? Of course, you’ll say it was a silly thing. And in terms of impact on people’s lives playing Free Nelson Mandela was negligible, but it did succeed in politicising one of Oxford’s frivolous traditions: the bop. I’m not saying that now we are all apolitical, amoral, bastards. Look at St Anne’s recent motion, which mandates that the JCR lobby the college to pay all its employees the living wage. This is admirable, and shows that the alliance between workers and students lives on. But it deals with a national issue only on a college level. Why aren’t we all marching for the implementation of a living wage nationwide?

On Thursday, Wadham celebrated Nelson Mandela’s life by gathering in the Front Quad and singing ‘Free Nelson Mandela’, as they paired up and climbed on each other’s shoulders (what they call ‘Mandelaing’.) I can’t help but look at this and feel worried. It is fine to celebrate his life, and remember the impact he had on your college’s history. But I see in Mandela’s death an opportunity. I hope the people ‘Mandelaing’ were thinking of what they could learn from the man whose name they verbalised. I hope people across the University realise the power they wield as students, and will think hard about what political causes their JCRs could take on. I know I will be.

England responsible for own fate in Brazil

Jonny Minshull-Beech
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England responsible for own fate in Brazil

In the wake of the World Cup draw – which saw England put into a group with Uruguay, Costa Rica and Italy – the overwhelming response has been negative. From pundits and fans alike, the consensus is that England are going to get stuffed this summer in Brazil. A whole host of excuses are already being manufactured for England’s expected failure. The long distance that England must travel to play their game against Italy in Manaus, combined with the appalling weather conditions for football – 80% humidity and average temperatures of above 30°c – and a tough group are the most prominent in a battery of defeatism.

However, none of these are good reasons for failure. Let us firstly examine the most prominent reason suggested for failure: the strength, or perceived strength of the other teams in England’s group. Uruguay, with a resurgent Luis Suarez, and Italy, with players like Ballotelli and Pirlo are supposedly too good for England.  This is hardly realistic. In England’s last meeting with Italy, with Pirlo in the form of his life, England still managed to grind out a 0-0 draw, and went out on penalties. Uruguay, we would expect England to beat or at the worst draw with and realistically England should beat Costa Rica. This analysis, which I feel is harsh to England, gives us four points; often enough to qualify in second place from the group. This also does not take into account upsets for other teams. Italy will also worry about Uruguay. Realistically, England have an excellent chance of qualification. It is not necessary to avoid defeat in the group; Spain lost their first game to Switzerland in 2010, and yet were deserved champions. England are good enough to qualify from this group, even if they do come second, and in all likelihood only grind out the points that they do get.

They are also not in the toughest group. Group G, with Germany, Ghana, Portugal and the USA is in my opinion the true “Group of Death”, with one of the two indisputed greats of the current era playing for Portugal, and one of the favourites to win the tournament in Germany, along with previous quarter finalists Ghana, and the USA, who get stronger every year. The bottom line is that the “minnows” of every group are no longer a guaranteed three points for any team; the World Cup is getting tougher and England need to improve in response.

The weather and travel are also said to be nails in England’s coffin. From their base in Rio, England must travel 1777 miles, to play a game in high temperatures. However, things are much the same for Italy in terms of travel, and the conditions for the match are exactly the same for both teams. Furthermore, if there is one team in the world who it would be good to play in the heat, it is Italy. Their slower, more cautious style of play is far less wearing to defend against than Spain or Germany, who would monopolise possession and force England to run. Without the ball against Italy, England can sit back against their own box, defending in depth, something not possible against the Germans or the Spaniards, who are far better at unlocking packed defences. Indeed, the Italians, whilst better at keeping the ball than England, also tend to drop back when not in possession, and will put little pressure on England in their own half, as they demonstrated against Spain and Germany in 2012.

Both teams will have to deal with the heat, which will make for a less intense match. It has been said that the heat will favour Italy. However, all of the England squad have played abroad, on pre-season tours to hot countries, and are therefore not unused to football in the heat.  The humidity, which is far more difficult to play in, will be new to both teams; nowhere in Italy can compete with this kind of tropical humidity. If anything, in the one match where England are in all likelihood the genuinely weaker team, having conditions designed to kill skilful, attacking football might be a blessing. Had any game where England needed three points been played in Manaus, we would have to worry. Comfortingly, the must-win games against Costa Rica and Uruguay are in relatively normal conditions. The weather and travel are therefore not excuses.

I do not want to suggest that England will win the World Cup. England would have to perform far better than recent performances to be in with a chance of winning the whole tournament. But the general tone of the debate is that England are doomed because they are playing robust, talented teams in the group stage, in tough conditions. This does not stand up. Of course we are playing tough teams – it’s the World Cup. To get anywhere in the World Cup you have to beat tough teams. If that starts in the group, so be it. In recent years, England have failed to build a winning mentality. It has always been the ref, the conditions, or the wrongful red card – anything but the fact that the team does not perform well enough to beat the best in the world. We need to face the fact that to be the best, you have to beat the best. If we are serious about progressing into the latter stages of the World Cup, this group should be looked at as a chance to put out one good team, and put the other into a less favourable draw, conditions and travel times be damned. However, any problems with our draw are of our own making- players who do not have the technical ability to keep possession in the heat, and a lack of strength in depth to make us true contenders for the World Cup.

The fact that playing conditions and opposition like Uruguay are causing concern are symptoms of a general malaise, and will not be the true cause of England’s downfall. If we do not qualify from the group, or if we do not win the World Cup – which I doubt England will – the reason will be because England are not good enough to win.

 

Rugby’s Southern Hemisphere still dominate the Home Nations

James Reid
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Rugby’s Southern Hemisphere still dominate the Home Nations

This year’s autumn internationals saw the Home Nations yet again fail to assert their dominance over the Southern Hemisphere’s big three of South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Whilst managing only one win out of eight against the former Tri-Nations – that win being England’s somewhat scratchy performance against Australia – there are some promising signs for the Home Nations, yet all will recognise that there is a lot to be done before the World Cup in 2015.

England’s 20-13 victory over Australia marked the only victory against one of the Southern Hemisphere giants, yet it was by no means the best performance by England, let alone by one of the Home Nations. More promising for England in fact was the rough improvement of their performances throughout the series. Despite a patchy and error strewn second-half against Argentina offsetting what had been a confident and dominant first half, England’s performance against New Zealand showed real improvement as they dominated possession and territory with 62% and 60% respectively. They were physical at the breakdown and played parts of the game with real pace.

However, with regard to New Zealand, it was Ireland who produced arguably the best rugby by any Home Nation. Leading 22-17 right until the last play, it was Ryan Crotty’s converted try in the last minute of the game that left Ireland despairing. Yet they proved that New Zealand, despite winning every single test this year, are not untouchable and indeed they were clearly rattled by the Irish, as they were at times during their victory over England.

This match also demonstrated the potential that Ireland can realise when all of their players perform and combine at their best, as they do so regularly for their provincial sides. In particular O’Brien’s supremacy over McCaw at the breakdown is momentous for world rugby and gives the indication that perhaps New Zealand’s golden pair of Carter and McCaw are beginning to fade. Nevertheless, whilst New Zealand may now be seen as not wholly invincible, the fact that they scored 17 unanswered points in the second half to secure victory confirms the fact that they remain by far the best side in world rugby.

The biggest disappointment of the autumn lies with the Welsh team and their continuing inadequacy against southern hemisphere opposition. At this point in time the Welsh side are the best in the Northern Hemisphere, demonstrated not least by the instrumental role of Welsh players in the Lions tour this year. The team is settled and the likes of Adam Jones, Sam Warburton and George North are world class, such as that even at this relatively early stage the Welsh are in good shape for the World Cup in 2015. However, they suffer from a chronic inability to beat the big southern hemisphere teams and under Gatland they have lost 22 out of 23 fixtures against the former tri-nations sides. The performance against Australia was inspired in defeat and a fantastic attacking display, yet in order to push on they need to be able to quash the quick flowing attacking play that the likes of Quade Cooper will bring in 2015.

At this point in time it is only England that have the confidence and grit to grind out a win against one of the southern hemisphere giants and perhaps Wales should follow their example and have more arrogance in their ability. England have the bones of a good team with young players such as Joe Launchbury, who scored two tries in the series, asserting themselves in the side. However, what this series has highlighted is that the persistent problem concerning England’s midfield is still ongoing. Losing to New Zealand despite dominating both territory and possession is indicative of a chronic lack of attacking flair. Joel Tomkins was not able to prove himself as a clear-cut choice at centre and whilst the return of Manu Tuilagi from injury next year will help matters, England need to develop a certain and threatening centre pairing.

If they cannot score tries then they will not threaten the likes of New Zealand, or even more pertinently they will fail to defeat the Welsh, who know their attritional style of play all too well and who will be in the same group come 2015. Owen Farrell also needs to stand flatter, in order to give the English backs more go-forward. Whilst his kicking game is very strong, some appearances for more attacking fly halves such as Freddie Burns may see the English backline become more of a threat.

All in all, the Autumn Internationals have seen the Irish play atrociously against Australia and at their very best against New Zealand. If they turn out as they did against the All Blacks then they may finally be able to realise the potential of a strong squad of players. England will have found signs of encouragement in their performances but they did not at any point match the quality shown in beating New Zealand last year and the attacking inadequacy of their backline needs addressing. Wales on the other hand, despite currently being the best Home Nations side, desperately need to remedy their bad form against southern hemisphere teams in order to be truly world class. A World Cup win for the home nations in 2015 is by no means impossible, but on the evidence of the most recent Autumn internationals it remains an improbability.

What does ‘cool’ mean?

Luke Barratt
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What does ‘cool’ mean?

The discussion of what it is to be cool is one that has doubtless been had over and over again. However, through some freak of circumstance I, despite my self-avowed predilection for wasting time by reading about pop culture, have never encountered any of these discussions. So I decided there might be some value in a completely fresh approach to the topic.

When we were young, the cool kids were the ones who were good at sport, and the ones who messed around in class. Some might take the second example to indicate that being cool is disobeying authority. This would be consistent with many other examples of what seems to be stereotypically cool: smoking and drinking aged fifteen, taking drugs and putting up posters on the walls of your rented house using blu-tak even though you know it stains them. However, it is more helpful to take the two examples in conjunction and say that being cool is being different, standing out. After all, murder isn’t cool, no matter how much you like GTA (and I really like GTA) and nor is most crime that has an easily perceivable victim.

But being different isn’t always cool, either. What if you stand out from everyone else by being the only person you know who doesn’t flush the toilet? That’s not cool, man. Being cool has to be standing out for the right reasons. But how can we define the right reasons? It can’t be the reasons which are socially acceptable, because being cool isn’t really supposed to be socially acceptable. Nor, obviously, can it be the reasons which aren’t socially acceptable.

All this confusion could easily give rise to a defeatist attitude which would claim that ‘cool’ is completely subjective and therefore beyond definition. But we could say that the word ‘good’ is subjective depending on our attitude and yet still have an idea of what the word actually means. What makes someone cool is a matter of subjectivity, but the act of being cool is still basically constant. Being cool is always, in every situation, standing out for the right reasons, but we want a more distinct definition.

Perhaps the most pertinent point that I realized about halfway through thinking about this column was that it definitely isn’t cool to write a column wondering what ‘cool’ means. By extension, it isn’t cool to try to be cool. Obviously. Some might take this even further, and say that it isn’t cool to try period. This is really just a clumsy Hollywood stereotype, though. Think of Dave Grohl on stage. He’s trying pretty fucking hard. And he’s pretty fucking cool. Sorry, Dave Grohl and the F word sort of come hand in hand. So maybe, I thought, being cool is being good at things. But still there are exceptions. Being really good at analyzing themes in Petronius’ Cena Trimalchionis, as I would like to be, is not cool.

So if ‘cool’ is something we want to be, but to which we are forbidden from aspiring, perhaps definition is impossible. Not only is ‘cool’ a subjective adjective but it also a subjective concept; it has become too intrinsic a part of our culture for us to even understand what it means any more.

Letter from Cowley

Abby Carroll
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Letter from Cowley

My year away takes place in an area steeped in culture; from the Roman road on the Eastern frontier to the conveniently placed KFC, my new home is a fascinating and bustling region with lots to be explored. Yet I have become accustomed to the pitying looks of my fellow students when I reveal where I live: “How do you commute?” “Is it safe?” and “WHY?” are frequent, concerned questions thrown at me. I should like to take this opportunity to dispel some myths about living in Cowley, from cuisine to climate, language to locals.

When I say there is a lot to be explored around my new home, I pretty much exclusively mean restaurants. Cowley Road is home to fifty three restaurants, cafés and takeaways that I pass on the fifteen minute walk to my house. Cowley hosts Nepalese cuisine, an American diner, a Nando’s and a sushi bar, so we’re unlikely to go hungry. The area also boasts a wide variety of hairdressers and not one but two questionable-looking ‘adult shops’ (yet to be explored). We might not have a Topshop or the gorgeous architecture of the city centre, but we’ve got a lot of food, good hair and interesting… personal lives. The climate here is cold, particularly when your housemates don’t know how to turn the thermostat on. People walk around in huge (and often shiny) jackets, although it is unknown to me whether they are protecting against the cold or indulging the latest fashions. We tend to commute to places within the city centre for a more temperate and affordable experience, as heating is expensive.

The culture in Cowley came as a massive surprise to me; the Polish supermarket offers a variety of what I assume are Polish foods, and if you’re less adventurous, Tesco has a section for exciting-looking foods from far away as well. But it’s not all about food; we also have a Bangladesh Islamic Centre and Mosque and a Methodist Church, going some way towards illustrating the ethnically diverse population to which Cowley is home. Not content with being figuratively colourful, many of the buildings on the main Cowley Road are adorned with bright and beautiful graffiti art, displaying the wealth of talent that the area has to offer. Cowley is a large contributor to Oxford’s music scene, with venues such as the O2 Academy Oxford and the Art Bar, where events such as Jazz Nights, Itchy Feet and a Chas and Dave performance entertain and enrich us. Finally, we host the annual Cowley Road Carnival featuring music, dancers, ethnic cuisine and a parade which generally attracts around 20,000 people. 

The locals are different to those you find walking down Turl Street in their red corduroy trousers of a Sunday even- ing; they shout and they ignore all forms of road safety (cycling can be treacher- ous), but they’re living real lives. I think this may be the thing I value most from my year ‘abroad’; whilst I’m cramming my head full of abstract philosophical ideas, these people are learning life les- sons. In bursting the ‘Oxford bubble’, Cowley has given me a sense of how peo- ple actually live, and what I’m going to be plunged into when I take off my sub fusc and enter the real world.

The sense of community in Cowley is quite a rare phenomenon; residents are more than willing to give up their time to work in the many charity shops or volunteer at the local children’s hospice, our neighbours let us climb over their wall when we’re locked out, and people just generally do nice stuff for one another. People are politically active and are respectful of one another’s culture; people are proud to live here, and now I am too.

So, how do I commute? Grudgingly, on a bike, in the rain, avoiding thousands of buses. Is it safe? It doesn’t offer the warm fuzzy feeling that your college can provide you with, but it’s no less safe than any other of Oxford’s suburbs in reality. And why? I moved here because it’s cheaper and we found a nice house, but I’ve gained so much more than a double bed and some savings. Cowley has offered me some insight into life post-University, the chance to try new things (still haven’t braved the sushi though) and a small amount of experience in living a real life, and it’s one that I’d recommend to anyone who doesn’t mind cleaning their own kitchen.

Love,

Abby

xxxx

Interview – MS MR

Luke Barratt
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Interview – MS MR

Lizzy Plapinger and Max Hershenow, the two parts of New York alternative pop duo MS MR, begin our interview by combining forces to open a beer for me without the aid of a bottle opener, efforts which are much appreciated. They’re here in Oxford on a European tour to promote their debut album, Secondhand Rapture, a work of artistic genius and musical beauty. With comparisons to superstars like Florence & the Machine and Lana Del Rey flying around, great things appear to be in store for these so-called noir pop artists. I have the honour of welcoming the pair to our city for the first time ever, and Lizzy admits she “expected Oxford to be pretty posh”, though Max notes that they “went to a university quite similar to this in that it’s old and castley”. He is referring to Vassar College, where they met in 2007, a university recently named the most selective liberal arts college in the US.

Their artistic education has shone through all of their music endeavours up to this point, with the duo showing impressive creativity over the release of their album, particularly with regard to technology. The band gathered a lot of hype on Tumblr, and are well-known for their progressive approach to social media, though Lizzy says “I don’t think we’re doing anything revolutionary that any other person hasn’t done or couldn’t do.” One thing that’s especially notable about MS MR’s development and creative ideal is the impressive use of visuals so consistent within the band’s work. Alongside the album, they released a set of visual accompaniments called Secondhand Captures. These include weird and wonderful cartoons, artfully-shot films packed full of metaphor and surrealist sets of abstract images. Lizzy explains the motivation behind this unusual approach to music videos, saying that “sometimes, the music becomes the background to the image but you want the music to drive the image.”

“I think a lot about the context that I listen to music in”, says Max, explaining his desire “to control that environment and to place the music in the context that we wanted to place it in”. He mentions that music these days is mostly consumed via computer screen, and via internet, and both Lizzy and Max agree that music in general is moving towards a more online medium. Lizzy seems excited by this, enthusing about how “the two worlds have never been so seamlessly and importantly alike now, given the context that we consume music in”.

They keep coming back to that word, “context”, and it’s clear that they have both given great thought to the overall conception of their music and themselves as artists. Maybe this is because of the unusual way in which their music came to light. As Lizzy explains, before the band was formed she owned (and still owns) a music label, and had never made any music before, while this is Max’s first musical project as well. “There’s something unique about hearing the first few songs a band have created. Most musicians are making music when they’re 12 or 13. They get their first batch of material out, they learn from their mistakes, they reinvent their sound and take a couple of years to settle into it.”

It’s so refreshing to find in MS MR a band with such an honest, intelligent and well-informed conception of themselves, as well as a hit-filled debut album and the potential to make brilliant music for years to come. What’s more, Lizzy tells me that “everyone’s invited along for the entire ride with us. People have seen where we’ve started and they’ll see where we end. I think it’s going to be an incredible journey.”

#copsoffcampus London protests: Live Blog

Samuele Volpe
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#copsoffcampus London protests: Live Blog

19:16 – To sign off with a modicum of clarity, here are a few quick facts from today’s protest:

  • It began at 14:00 outside the University of London Union’s buildings.
  • During the protest, Senate House (the administrative HQ of the University of London was briefly occupied. 
  • The blanket injunction on protest on the UoL’s Bloomsbury campuses has been breached.
  • The demonstration lasted around 4 hours, taking in locations such as Whitehall, Picadilly, and Buckingham Palace, before returning to the ULU building. 
  • Some vandalism of bins has been reported, but at this time there is little news of arrests. 
  • The demonstration was largely peaceful, despite isolated pockets of ‘over-excited’ protesters.

That’s about that then, I’ve been @samuelevolpe.

18:35 – Reaction to the BBC Six O’Clock news has been somewhat mixed too though, with many on twitter attacking the corporation for being slow to pick up on the protests, and then for focusing upon isolated examples of vandalism. We at Cherwell will leave you to make your own minds up about today’s coverage, but we have done our best to provide some!

18:30 – Now reaction is beginning to trickle in, and it’s not all supportive I’m afraid. The usual establishment-types are tweeting about damage to bins – perhaps fairly – whilst it comes to my attention that various twitter accounts masquerading as policeman have enjoyed using patronising references to “mummy and daddy” in response to our reporting…  On a more positive note, here is a nice summarising tweet from Max Long:

17:54 – Estimates that there are only around 150 protesters remaining really do suggest that today’s events are on their last legs. Which is a shame because as some tweeters on the hashtag have suggested, there was definite potential for the protest to merge with a screening of the new Hobbit film. To be serious for a second though, it seems worthwhile to let Michael Chessum – courtesy of C4 – explain why he, and everyone else, has spent the day protesting. 

17:42 – It appears that the protest has now turned into a tour of the West End. No bad thing according to this correspondent…

17:32 – Spoke too soon, the splinter group is heading down Picadilly, and confused celebrities have been spotted. 

17:28 – There’s a definite sense that things are winding down out there. More as we get it. 

17:16 – As intimated below, it seems that the protest has split into two, with one group now back at ULU, and the other continuing on past Buckingham Palace. 

17:09 – We’re hearing that the protesters are attempting to regroup. With University of London Union president Michael Chessum instrumental in rallying the troops. Chessum was of course intimately involved in the controversy which kick-started this whole affair, as he was arrested last month having organised a protest against the closure of the University of London union. 

16:59 – A potential candidate for ‘chant of the day’ has emerged. “Lamborghinis for the masses not just for the ruling classes” will take some beating. (Although that level of luxury for all is potentially quite unrealistic?)

16:58 – Apparently the protest has spread, with sit-in ‘occupations’ taking place in both Manchester and Aberdeen.

16:45 – Twitter is buzzing with reaction to the demonstration today. Most of it on the hashtag #copsoffcampus seems supportive.

16:31 – As the protest bears down upon Whitehall and Downing Street, anti-government feeling is obvious from chants of “here we come Tory scum”. Understandably there is a huge police presence around government buildings.

16:24 – The protest is now moving towards the Strand, and thankfully Max Long is reporting that the majority of protesters are showing restraint. 

16:02 – Things are taking a sinister turn as police vehicles are attacked. 

15:55 – Cherwell’s correspondent on the ground is reporting that protesters are now occupying both sides of Southampton Row, and vociferous anti-police chanting can be heard.

15:45 – The effects of the protest are being felt by Londoners throughout the city, with Cherwell alumni voicing worries about the effect upon public transport.

15:42 – As the demonstration moves from SOAS towards Russell Square by all accounts the crowds are massive, and leaving an impression:

15:36 – Cherwell’s very own Max Long is now on the scene as the protest continues. 

14:55 – Reports indicate that Senate House is currently being occupied by protesters. Here at Cherwell we have an incline that this occupation may be rather brief however…

14:24 – As the protest gathers steam around London, our attention has been drawn to this piece by the union Unite, who show overwhelming support for the protesters. http://www.unitetheunion.org/news/student-demos-crackdown-condemned-by-unite/

14:00 – Demonstration begins at University of London Union, Malet Street. 

Oxford students support “Cops Off Campus” day of action

Cameron Quinn
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Oxford students support “Cops Off Campus” day of action

A demonstration began at 2pm today in central London, attended by a number of Oxford students, to protest against the violence of police towards university students, as well as showing solidarity with university staff and opposing the privatisation of student debt.

Recent reports suggest that student protestors from around the UK have joined the march through central London, and a large number of similar protests are set to take place in university towns and cities in the rest of the country.

Some of the protestors have reportedly attempted to enter Senate House, a research library near Russell Square, despite occupiers of the building last week being evicted by the police last Wednesday.

A group of Oxford students has also issued a statement to show solidarity with students across the UK who have been the victims of repressive policing in recent days.

The statement, signed at press time by 83 students and staff members from 27 Oxford colleges and Oxford Brookes, was issued in advance of a national “Cops Off Campus” day of action called today. One notable name among the signatories was new OUSU president-elect Louis Trup, who could not be reached for comment.

The open letter states that Oxford students and staff are “deeply disturbed by the disproportionate and violent reaction of the police, security and university managements to student protests over the last week during national strike action against pay cuts”.

The national protest, which is being attended by nearly 3000 people according to its Facebook event, was organised in response to a series of violent police crackdowns on student protests and occupations in a number of universities across the country. It is unclear how many Oxford students are among them, though a small group of Wadham students had organized a solidarity Facebook group.

Last Wednesday, private security employees stormed the University of London’s Senate House building in order to evict an occupation in support of better pay and working conditions for university staff, seizing protesters and handing them over to police. A day before the occupation began, a High Court judge had granted a six month injunction banning occupation-style protests at the University. Video later surfaced on the internet of a police officer punching a student, and police made five arrests in a crowd of scarcely more than 100.

In a demonstration against police brutality held the following day, between 34 and 43 students, including the editor of the University of London’s student paper, Oscar Webb, were arrested amidst violent confrontations between police and protesters. London police officers were recorded striking protesters with batons and dragging them by the hair.

According to the Oxford activists, the issues at play go beyond the role of university administrations and security forces in squelching dissent. The statement by Oxford students and staff links the struggle against police repression to broader issues facing universities.

It reads, “The freedom to protest is a healthy part of any society, but is particularly important for students and staff now facing an unprecedented assault on public higher education. In the context of the sell-off of student loans, sweeping cuts to pay and conditions, cuts to courses and student numbers, privatisation, and talk of raising the tuition fee cap yet again, there is every reason for those who value education to voice their dissent loudly and clearly.”

Edmund Schluessel, a member of the National Union of Students’ Executive Council, confirmed to Cherwell that the increased reliance on police and security forces to counter protest was directly related to lecturers’ campaigns for fair pay. “Vice chancellors are attacking students as a proxy because they can’t make lecturers and other staff back down in their demand for fair pay,” he said.

While the centre of gravity of the Cops Off Campus movement presently lies at other universities, Oxford activists maintain that the issues are nevertheless deeply relevant to the collegiate University. Nathan Akehurst, a third-year History and Politics student at Lincoln and organiser in the recent lecturer strike, told Cherwell, “Oxford has one of the largest security apparatuses in the country, has victimised protesters in the past, and until 2001 had a full-scale private police force.”

Akehurst stressed that Oxford students should be doing more to support the Cops Off Campus cause. “Strengthening the campaign here sends a clear message to the University that suppressing dissent will not be tolerated by the student body,” he said.

“Protest rights are not negotiable, and now more than ever the student body needs to be standing together against issues such as low staff pay, the sell-off of our loans and the spectre of £16,000 tuition fees.”

 

JCR VP apologises for "inappropriate" link in email

Jack Prescott
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JCR VP apologises for "inappropriate" link in email

The outgoing Magdalen JCR Vice President has apologised for sending out an email which contained a hyperlink to an image of self-harm last Thursday. The email sought to address bullying in Magdalen College, but nonetheless attracted criticism from students for the graphic image.

In his final email to the JCR before the end of his tenure, Jamie Miles listed the failures and successes of his time as VP. In one section, which was addressed “to the bullies”, he highlighted a recent bullying problem in college and quoted an email he had sent to someone who had been reported for bullying. It read, “Just remember that one day, one of your vindictive or sarcastic remarks might be enough to push someone over the edge. People have enough stuff to cope with in this place.”

Miles has been criticised for embedding a hyperlink in the text, linking the phrase “over the edge” to a graphic image of a slashed wrist, thus exposing anybody who clicked on it to violent imagery without any warning.

He immediately sent an apologetic follow-up email, expressing regret over what he described as “a foolish act” and requesting that anyone who had not clicked on the link should not go back and look at it.

Miles told Cherwell that his email had been trying to address an all-too-prevalent bullying problem in the Magdalen JCR that had been present over the last term. When asked to expand upon the nature of the incidents, Miles said that he could not comment on these incidents because they are currently being investigated by the college.

Cameron Quinn, a fourth year at Magdalen, said, “Some people in the college find it personally amusing to antagonise others for sport. This is, as Jamie said in his e-mail, a disgrace, and it was both brave and necessary to bring it up. Unfortunately, Jamie chose to make this very important point in a way that perhaps wasn’t completely thought through, and that’s a shame, because it may mean that the people in college who bully people escape attention and blame.”

Another student added, “I understand that he wanted to send an important message out but he did so in a completely inappropriate way.”

When asked about the possibility of bullying culture at Magdalen, a spokesperson for OUSU’s Mind Your Head campaign stressed the importance of students recognising the psychological impact of bullying. They told Cherwell, “We know that bullying is linked to a number of negative outcomes, including increased rates of depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and suicide, particularly when it occurs alongside existing mental health conditions.

“In the event that a student is feeling abused in any way, there are a number of resources available for them in Oxford including peer supporters, welfare reps, and the counselling service.”

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