After 14 years of the King's front lawn being used by Cambridge University Amnesty International for their Cage Protest, this term King's College Council are allowing the space to be used instead for a 24 hour rowing event for Cancer Research UK.

The College Council's decision was made as the result of a change to the rules governing what King's front lawn can be used for.

Now, a maximum of just one event will be permitted to take place on the lawn each term. Amnesty were granted this position in Michaelmas, but have been turned down this term in favour of a sponsored tandem row starting at noon on Saturday 10th March and running until noon the following day.

This fundraising event is part of a series in King's over the last year, which have been running in support of a current student Kate McCutcheon, who was sadly unable to return to college in October 2011 after being diagnosed with cancer.

It follows the Go Bald for Cancer event last Michaelmas, which raised over £13,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support when at least nineteen students assembled in King's bar on 26th November to lose their locks.

Hannah Shackleton and Lotte Cutts, who initiated the event, wrote on their JustGiving page of their intention “to show solitary with her [Kate] and to raise loads of money for Macmillan Cancer Support. Kate's situation has prompted us to do this, but considering that one in three people will develop cancer at some point in their lives, we also have many other people in mind, as I'm sure do you.”

The King's front lawn is prime advertising space as far as attracting human traffic goes, since it is populated almost all day every day by either students, shoppers and tourists.

Cambridge Amnesty International has been using 'the cage' on King's front lawn for over a decade, in protest against a multitude of humanitarian injustices.

Students take residence inside the cage for two hour shifts, aiming to bring attention to unjust and unlawful arrests and imprisonments. It is hoped that, as a result of these non-violent protests, passers-by will sign petitions against the human rights violations campaigned against.

The Michaelmas cage campaign sought to bring attention to the detention of Shaker Aamer, a British resident and father of four, in Guantánamo Bay. Aamer is the last British resident left in Guantánamo; as of last Tuesday, 14th February, he has been detained there for a decade, without charge.