Student vandals turn second university fees protest violent

[Dean]

Students clashed with police today as tens of thousands marched through London in a second mass protest against tuition fees and university budget cuts.

A police van abandoned in Whitehall was surrounded and vandalised. Protesters climbed on the roof, covered the vehicle with graffiti and smashed the windows. A flare was later set off and demonstrators broke open the van's doors.

Student leaders at the scene could be seen pleading for calm as attempts were made to set it on fire. Whitehall was brought to a standstill.

The main flashpoint was the gateway to King Charles Street near the Foreign Office where several lines of riot police prevented students reaching Downing Street. One officer suffered a broken arm and another was led away after being hit in the face with a missile.

The Met were reported to have made three arrests for violent disorder and theft.

The Met insisted they had “proportionate and appropriate” numbers of officers dealing with the protesters — marking their determination not to be caught out as they were when students stormed Millbank two weeks ago.

School pupils in blazers could be seen among the student protesters. Debris was scattered across Whitehall as marchers made bonfires out of their placards and wrecked bus shelters.

Students occupied universities including Royal Holloway, London South Bank and University College London. Protests were staged at universities and colleges in Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield, Bristol, Southampton, Oxford, Cambridge, Leeds, Newcastle, Bournemouth, Cardiff, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

The coordinated mass demonstration was dubbed “Day X”.

In London lines of officers “kettled” thousands of students at key points. Members of the Met's territorial support group, officers on horseback and dog handlers were seen at different parts of the protests.

A Met spokesman said: “There is containment in Whitehall to prevent further criminal damage and we will look to disperse anyone being held as soon as we can when we can ensure no further criminal damage will be committed elsewhere.”

One protester named only as “Zoe” said: “A lot of people wanted to get that burst of anger out of them, but they shouldn't just vent it on police vans. It really does dampen the effort of other people.”

In Whitehall a ring of girls surrounded the police van and pleaded with the vandals to come down. They shouted: “This is a peaceful protest.”

Mark Bergfeld from the Education Activist Network, said the protest was designed to “blow people's minds”.

Headteachers were urged to allow students to protest inside school buildings in an effort to stop them taking part in a mass demonstration.

Professor Chris Knight, a former anthropology lecturer at the University of East London said: “Occupations are happening, school children are walking out.

“There is some form of action at every university in London. It is almost a revolutionary situation.

“Unlike the last protest there is not one mass convergence happening, but everyone is doing their bit across London and I expect it to be bigger than the last protest.”

Commander Bob Broadhurst, who is in charge of today's operation, said police planned to come down on students who caused trouble at today's protests “swiftly and decisively”.

Police deployed lines of officers outside the Tory and the Lib-Dem HQs amid fears of violence.

Police refused to say how many police were involved in today's operation. So far more than 60 people have been arrested in connection with the occupation of Millbank and the damage caused to the building.

Nick Clegg issued a plea to students taking part in protests to look at the details of the Government's proposals, which he insisted were fairer than either the current regime or the graduate tax backed by the National Union of Students.

On BBC Radio 2's Jeremy Vine Show the Deputy Prime Minister said he regretted being unable to deliver on his pledge to prevent tuition fee increases.

"I regret of course that I can't keep the promise that I made because - just as in life - sometimes you are not fully in control of all the things you need to deliver those pledges," he said.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standa...ersity-fees.do

I can't blame them for being angry, after all, it's our future that the government are screwing with. I was meant to go to this protest today but I managed to sleep in till half 2 in the afternoon. :whistle:

[GommeInc]

Ah yes, throwing things out of a pram, that's going to work. If anything the Government is just going to take public money and fix the damages. Are these people even students who are causing all this mindless vandalism? Because I can see why tuition fees and entries are being cut if idiots like them are allowed into higher education. This is just averting away from the central issue, blurring the cause of the protests in the first place. I feel sorry for the people who led the protest and those involved in the protesting who were actually protesting against the rise in tuition fees when these vandals have again got involved. It looked as though it was a pretty well thought out protest too - instead of protesting in one central location, it was the whole of London at the campuses and other areas. I think there are similar protests happening around the UK, most of which involve stopping what you're doing, protesting outside main buildings (libraries, unions etc) and getting the message across that way.

[g]

*REMOVED*

Edited by Dean (Trialist Forum Moderator): Please do not make racist comments, thanks.

[matt$]

hes got money to blow out on nikes though

[g]

*REMOVED*

Edited by Dean (Trialist Forum Moderator): Please do not make racist comments, thanks.

[Ed.]

I was watching it live on BBC News Channel.

[AgnesIO]

What a ******* **** head. He is so brave he has a scarf on his face.

Why do these ******s think trashing things is going to help?

**** off

[Neversoft]

Fair play in my opinion. As if the government are going to listen anyway. Clegg should've known full well the consequences of going back on his word. I only wish they did this yesterday when I was actually in London. Could have gone again today but seeing as how I am going to be in debt for the rest of my life better start saving now.

[Minstrels]

I love how you're swearing on the internet, get down to one and tell everyone what you think eh? I'm sure you'll get a nice reaction, just like the police who hit us all with batons whilst we were sat down got a pleasant reaction and hugs alround.

[GommeInc]

Fair play in my opinion. As if the government are going to listen anyway. Clegg should've known full well the consequences of going back on his word. I only wish they did this yesterday when I was actually in London. Could have gone again today but seeing as how I am going to be in debt for the rest of my life better start saving now.

So true. The Lib Dems should of kept to their words rather than let the Conservatives walk all over them. As far as I can tell, there are no Lib Dems, just a small Conservative party that merged with a larger Conservative party. Not a wise move at all, but then again Labour weren't putting themselves in a good light.