Island Hideaway 35 - Occupy to Win​

The Magic Roundabout Appreciation Society always had their own table at the Student Union meetings, with six or seven of them, usually acting as a block vote and therefore a crucial subgroup in the political shenanigans of student union politics.​​
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They started coming when they proposed a motion to change the name of the Student Union Building from Mandela House to the Zebedee Building. They were defeated, but continued to attend, usually voting as one, usually on the side of common sense, leaning slightly to the left. During the occupation of the Student Registry their vote proved vital.​​
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The Magic Roundabout Appreciation Society became known as a key vote for moderation and sense. I knew John and Chris from Clyne, both Politics students, both bright, both as likely to break into an in-depth critique of Marxism as they were to burst into spontaneous renditions of the Captain Pugwash theme.​​
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Eddie and myself started going to the Student Union meetings in case there were any motions to cut the grant to the radio station, but like the Magic Roundabout Appreciation Society we got drawn in, taking part in debates, voting in motions.​​
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So, we were there for the meeting that led to the occupation.​​
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I forget what the issue was, it never seemed important to me, some minor change in the university's administrative procedure. But the Socialist Workers took issue with it, and proposed a motion to occupy the Student Registry building in protest. In fact, I'm sure their real issue was with the new Student Registry building itself, a nice new building with all mod cons, which put the rest of the concrete, 60s mess that the students and academics had to use look positively ancient. ​​
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It was a stupid idea, a total overreaction, but the Socialist Workers had come en masse (including a lot of people that nobody recognised as students) and it was going to be a close vote. I voted against, as did the Magic Roundabout Appreciation Society. However, the Conservative group backed the motion, sensing the chance to make the Student Union look ridiculous. Trying to avoid an embarrassing defeat the Labour Student Union President proposed a compromise motion to agree the occupation in principle should the university not agree to meet the Student Union about the matter. However, the motion was so weakly worded it gave the Socialist Workers everything they wanted. The motion was passed overwhelmingly, at which point the Socialist Workers, who I realised had all brought sleeping bags, stood up and marched towards the Registry shouting 'Occupy to Win', leaving the Labour leader standing on the podium looking very foolish indeed.​​
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Eddie had abstained on principle, as he only voted on radio-related matters, but he was keen to develop his journalistic credentials and as soon as the Socialist Worker mob left he had set off to the radio station to get some recording equipment and be the first to interview the occupiers.​​
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I had an essay to do, so I left him to it, thinking very little of it. ​​
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The occupation had taken the university authorities by surprise, mostly because the issue was so trivial, had they proposed something controversial like an increase in accommodation charges they would have upped security and monitored student union activity. The Socialist Workers had easily gained entry to the Student Registry building and had taken up residence outside the Vice-Chancellors office. Of course, once the occupation had started the university couldn't very well be seen to be giving it, so they refused to negotiate, which meant that two dozen sweaty, smelly students would now be in permanent residence in their nice new building. ​​
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Eddie ended up doing an interview with the occupiers every day of the occupation, it became a running feature on the radio station. Usually a cynical bastard with a deathly question to flaw the most innocent acoustic guitarist or bass player to pass his way, he was unusually uncritical, and let the Socialist Worker goons repeat their spiel without challenge. I was frankly disappointed in him, but the rest of the station loved it, as it was uncompromising news.​​
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The occupation lasted a full week and the issue came back to the Student Union meeting the following Wednesday. The Labour group issued a motion withdrawing support for the occupation, which should have been an easy win, as the occupiers themselves weren't there to vote, they being busy occupying, but they had gained several supporters, including Mo, who had joined Eddie as 'thankless equipment-lugging-donkey' for several of his interviews. It was the only time I remember her coming to one of the Student Union meetings. Eddie voted for the motion, on the basis that the interviews and news stories had led to increased ratings - one of the occupiers had brought a portable radio with them so they were all listening to his show. The Magic Roundabout Appreciation Society also voted against the motion, even though they were against the occupation, on the basis that it was unfair to have a vote on the issue when the occupiers themselves weren't present. The motion failed and the occupation continued for several weeks, every day of which was covered by Eddie with the help of his thankless donkey.​​
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In his novels, Japanese writer Haruki Murakami often sets stories in the midst of the students protests and occupations of his 1960s Tokyo university years. The 1960s protest ended with the police storming the buildings, dragging protesters out by their hair, with arrests, beatings, consequently Murakami's characters are deeply affected by events, even getting unjustified criminal records, becoming disillusioned with authority, or having had their spirit broken by the events. ​​
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The Swansea protests ended differently. After three weeks one of the leaders realised he had exams coming up and agreed to accept the reviewed policy that had been on offer since the first day. The Student Registry building was closed for two weeks for fumigation, but otherwise everything returned to normal. Well, everything apart from Eddie and Mo, who had been transformed into radicalised lefties.​​