Demonstrators scuffled with police in central London on Wednesday when thousands of students and school pupils protested across Britain against government plans to raise university tuition fees. Small groups of protesters hurled placards at officers and others attacked a police van as they massed near parliament in central London. Police said three people had been arrested in the capital for violent disorder, which many students condemned as undermining their cause.
Young people staged walkouts at universities, schools and colleges in a national day of action at the Conservative-led coalition government proposals to almost triple tuition charges to up to 9,000 pounds ($14,500) a year. "I feel very strongly about the fees. I want to go to university and can't afford to. I'm not rich and that's I'm here," said London student Ben Batten, 15.
"I don't think it's right to smash a police van at all though," he added. Another student said those who jumped on the police van were only at the demonstration to cause trouble. Media footage focused on the lone van in a sea of protesters, with some clambering inside after breaking in. "People have the right to engage in lawful and peaceful protest but there is no place for violence or intimidation," Prime Minister David Cameron's spokesman said.
Two weeks ago, protesters stormed a building that houses the Conservative Party headquarters in London during the first major demonstration directly linked to the 81 billion pound ($130 billion) spending cuts announced by the coalition last month. Students feel betrayed by coalition government, in particular by junior partner the Liberal Democrat party, which had promised to vote against higher tuition fees.
Deputy Prime Minister and Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg told the BBC that he "massively regrets" breaking his election promise, but said he was developing a "thick skin" towards the protests. He urged students to look at his education proposals in detail.
"...when people look at the detail of these proposals (they will) realise that all graduates will be paying less per month than they do at the moment and the poorest quarter will be paying much, much less," he said. Police arrested almost 70 people over the disorder earlier this month which saw windows smashed, objects hurled at officers and an 18-year-old student pleaded guilty on Wednesday to throwing a fire extinguisher from the roof of the building.
There was a noticeably larger police presence on the capital's streets than two weeks ago when the head of the London police force admitted they had not been prepared for trouble. Lines of policemen in fluorescent jackets formed human barriers across streets in Whitehall, the heart of British government, while other police officers corralled students into small groups, a process known as "kettling". "The majority are acting peacefully and we are working to keep the protest as peaceful as possible," police said.
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