Felix Issue 0539, 1980
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FELIX THE NEWSPAPER OF IMPERIAL COLLEGE UNION Friday 9th May, 1980 Issue No. 552 QUESTIONS ASKED IN COMMONS AFTER IC DEMO Following the demonstrations by Imperial College students last week there has been much TUC Day comment in the National Press and questions have been asked in of Action the House of Commons. London Transport Strike? Mr John Page, the Con- Next Wednesday (14th) is the servative MP for Harrow West, national TUC Day of Action against various government policies, asked "Who are these pro and particularly cutbacks in public anti Ayatolla demonstrators who spending. One of the effects of this is likely to be no public transport are upsetting local residents and available in London on Wednesday, generally turning the area into a which is likely to make it impossible beer garden? for many staff and students to be able to come into College. Are they students? Are they Severed of the College trade unions attending to their studies? Who have jointly asked College to allow is paying for them if they are their members to have the day off work in order that they may students?" participate in meetings and demonstrations which are being Letters and what the papers said: page 2, The organised in London as part of the president of ICU comments: page 5, Day of Action, and also so that in this Editorial: page 12 JEZ way the College can show its opposition to cutbacks in university Jezebel, the motorised mascot After leaving Crawley, the the traditional pattern. A local education. The College trade unions of the Royal College of Science spectators and traffic thickened hostelry (not the Buccaneer) are hoping to organise a meeting in Union, has had a very busy up. Things continued smoothly, was visited for lunch, the College at 11:30 on the Wednesday bank holiday weekend. The and the arrival on the seafront dodgems were visited for the followed by a march to Central Hall, Westminster. highlight was undoubtedly her was greeted by the PA an- post-prandial entertainment. Jez successful and troublefree nouncement "And now the didn't win the beauty contest, The effect of the transport strike is likely to be that many College servies arrival on Brighton's seafront rowdy bunch are here. I don't and the journey home involved (eg, refectories) will not be able to after partaking in the nineteenth know quite what the chanting is; the occasional halt — usually operate as normal, and it is hoped annual Historic Commercial we'll have to try and find out". near a public house. that departments will make every Vehicle Club's run to Brighton. Even after Sean O'Boyle had By midnight, Jez was safely effort to rearrange lectures since many students will be unable to atend The day started at the un- explained the intricacies of a back in College and two veridcts many students will be unable to earthly hour of 4:00am. Two Kangela, the announcer still were announced. attend College that day. seemed totally bemused. 1. A good time was had by all. hours later, Jezebel was sitting For any students who must be in outside Southside, whilst her The rest of the day followed 2. We wuz robbed! College on Wednesday (eg, due to crew ate their fill of the breakfast ongoing practical work) and who are being served in the RCSU Office. unable to arrange an alternative to public transport, the Union will be (Many thanks are due to Rae providing camp beds in the ICWA Snee and her willing band of Lounge on Tuesday and Wednesday helpers). Jez then moved on to evenings. Battersea Park, the start of the run. At her appointed hour, Jez moved off followed closely by a Please donate strange looking vehicle, ap- parently called Bo, which had 5p to WUS come along to wish her well. The run to the halfway halt at for this issue Crawley was peaceful, with a surprising number of spectators of FELIX considering the hour! IMPERIAL COLLEGE STUDENT DEMO Dear Colin I wish to express my absolute The TIMES Friday May 2nd dismay at the spectacle I saw last The atmosphere near the students from Imperial College IN THE week in Kensington Park. It seemed to me that a very substantial Iranian Embassy at Princes sang Rule Britannia and the number of IC students found Gate, Kensington changed British and American national NATIONAL enjoyment in making an utter farce yesterday from farce and near anthems, and shouted "Go out of an important, and potentially carnival to moments of frighten- home you bums". The Iranians in PRESS very volatile situation. Not only ing nationalistic fervour when the park amid a crowd of several were they putting over their views rival groups of chanting demon- hundred people retorted by The DAILY MAIL in a completely irrational and -strators faced each other in the chanting pro-Khomeini and anti- disgraceful manner by jeering at Friday May 2nd warm spring sunshine while the American slogans. Iranian protesters, like some rioting There was an elderly lady of school kids, but they also succeeded hostages sat out the second day The students brought a piano in drawing the attention of the of their ordeal. to lead the singing and a group of amazing voice and astonishing world's media in the process. A policeman's ankle was drum-beating, saffrbm-robed venom who bawled, 'Death to There is no better way to dam- broken and several arrests were Buddhists appeared, only to be the old bastard' as counter point age the reputation of Imperial made when police separated two shepherded by police away from to every chant of 'Khomeini! Collge, than to display ourselves in groups of pro-Khomeini Iranians. the main demonstration. Khomeini!, and a drum-and- such a stupid, uncivilised and Five policemen struggled to pin tambourine procession from a ignorant way. down a frantic demonstrator file of saffron-clad Buddhist I am ashamed to belong to a who lashed out with hands and monks, suffling past as much in College, where more people find it The GUARDIAN feet. their own world as a drunk who preferable to shout, jeer, and sing Friday May 2nd came out of the bushes, sang There were other arrests later inane songs about the Iranian 'Maybe It's Because I'm a regime, than to bother attending when police eased a group of In mid-afternoon after a false Londoner' ... and passed from UGMs to formulate official, demo- British and Americans away report that the British Embassy our view. cratic and realistic college policy. from more than 100 Iranians kept in Tehran had been occupied, The fact that the 'RCS piano' was by the police in the park. The students from Imperial College, Then came more opposition also present, does nothing to main group of about 300 in which is near the Iranian still, with the appearance of 100 attempt to alleviate the problem, embassy in Knightsbridge students from London but simply lowers those involved to Kensington Road were penned marched through Hyde Park University's Imperial College. the level of their critised Iranian betweened lines of policemen. Their banners invited: 'Want to counterparts. A banner saying "Free the chanting "Khomeini out", and die for Khomeini: Then drop Vburs faithfully Yanks" was hung from a block of although police moved to dead.' A Sickener), IC Student flats and a group of about 100 prevent trouble between the Britains and Americans led by Iranian students ;and the They gave us Jerusalem, Rule counter-demonstrators, there Britannia ... Land of Hope and were some scuffles. Glory and then the football A policeman was injured and anthem Go Home Yer BUms, Dear Colin made easier by the irresponsible was taken to St Stephen's Go home to the tune of Auld As students of this college we attitude of the IC contingent. Their Hospital, Fulham with a sus- Lang Syne, Outside the Albert feel obliged to condemn in the action could have led to a riot and pected fractured leg. Hall and all musical life was there. strongest possible terms the action their coverage on TV on Thursday of various members of the Union evening very probably led to the during the siege of the Iranian presence of skinheads on the The SUN Saturday May 3rd Embassy last Thursday (1st May). following afternoon obviously out Under the headline, 'RULE BRITANNIA! SINGING STUDENTS Their counter-demonstration for a 'bit of fun'. SILENCE IRANIANS' they printed: complete with piano and community On Friday afternoon a question singing would have been a great was asked in the House of Commons The rowdy mobs of Iranians The students sang Go Home success in the Union Bar, but in as to who these "irresponsible" outside the besieged London You Bums, to the tune of Auld the circumstances betrayed a counter-demonstrators were who embassy were finally silenced Lang Syne - and He'll Be Coming complete indifference to the tragic made the task of the police harder. yesterday... by a good old British Round A Camel When He events going on in Iran and many Are these really the type of sing-song. Comes, to the tune of She'll Be other parts of the world and to the people who can be trusted to take It came from 150 mockers - Coming Round The Mountain. lives of those held hostage inside up responsible positons in society the embassy. It has been claimed in the near future? boisterous students from the that some of the policemen present Yours sincerely nearby Imperial College in Then they gave a variation of a appeared to be enjoying the perform- A Gujral Kensington.