"DSK go away"

An angry protest of over 200 people met a talk by alleged rapist and former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn last Friday (9th March) evening at the Cambridge Union Society. 

Protesters, both women and men, voiced strong opposition to Strauss-Khan being given such a prestigious platform. Chants of  “DSK go away” and “1-2-3-4, sexual violence no more” were shouted as the protest made its way through Cambridge.

The road outside the Union building was blocked as the crowds heard many women bravely tell of their experiences of rape and sexual assault.

In an unprecedented move the Union Society – which costs £175 to join - had made the event ticketed. No bags or cameras were allowed into the event. There were large numbers of private security and police, as well as a 2m metal fence encircling the building.

Strauss-Khan began speaking at 7:30pm and immediately protestors made their presence heard with chants of “Shame on you!” Attempts were made on the fence, and a number of activists managed to briefly break into the secure area.

The police and security guards responded violently. One woman was hit in the face 3 times, others were kicked. The police repeatedly tried to pull people away from the fences. It was clear whose side the police were on.

Stauss-Khan was forced to sneak out through little known passages connecting the Union to surrounding buildings and made his exit out of Pizza Express. In an ironic twist Strauss-Khan was bungled into a police car. This was not because they had arrested him for the many allegations made against him, but so he could be driven at high speed to wherever his posh car had been stashed.