Over 30,000 students marched to parliament yesterday in a powerful protest against the planned tripling of tuition fees and the creation of a market in education.
Throughout the day students were subjected to arbitrary police violence and intimidation before being repeatedly charged by mounted police amid scenes that the BBC described as reminiscent of the Poll Tax riot or the Wapping dispute.
Finally, students were subjected to the ultimate abuse as Liberal Democrat liars, elected thanks to their pledge to not raise fees broke their promises and failed to vote against plans to put Higher Education beyond the reach of millions of working class families.
Clare Solomon, ULU president said
“The Con-Dem majority was reduced to just 21 votes indicating that the Government is weak and divided in the face of the largest student protest movement in British history.
Today students across the country are meeting to form a National Student Assembly and to plan the the next steps in escalating the campaign – yesterday was just the beginning.”
Reports from yesterday’s protests
“You’re going to kill someone” – protesters crushed by police
Disabled student blocks riot police with wheelchair
Small group of Cambridge students confront mounted police
Police wade into students – video by Fil Kaler
22:15 1,000 still kettled on Westminster Bridge chanting “this is not a riot” with hands in air.
Belfast protest
London
13:00 Video from start of the protest in Malet Street
22:00 Students still kettled on Westminster bridge after being held for over an hour
21:40 London Ambulance Service treated 37 people – 31 hospitalised! If you witnessed, please see http://bit.ly/fiJgPB
21:30 Students crammed in on Westminster Bridge
Charles and Camilla’s car attacked by angry protesters
Video from Parliament Square earlier today
19:11 Treasury Building under attack – windows smashed, attempts to enter. BBC reporting the building is full of riot police.
Sit-in at National Gallery
17:54 Students staging sit-in at National Gallery.
17:47 Supt Julia Pendry is on BBC news giving police version of events yet again. The Met media offensive has begun as they try to obscure the scale of their violence against young protesters.
17:41 Bill passes its first reading by a slender 21 vote majority – the Government has a majority of 84 in parliament.
17:20 Press release from London Student Assembly:
Over 30,000 students marched to parliament today in a powerful protest against the planned tripling of tuition fees and the creation of a market in education. They were joined by education workers, trades unionists and other supporters.
Protestors marched from ULU to Parliament. They took Parliament Square in a display of anger at MPs who are voting to smash the futures of young people in this country.
Police resorted to kettling tactics and horse charged once again, and thousands of students, including young teenagers, are still being detained.
All appeals from the organisers of the demonstration not to use these tactics were ignored and there have been at least 2 students who have been injured.
17:00 Guardian live blog: journalist Shiv Malik recounts being bashed over the head with a police baton at http://bit.ly/heS2h7
16:54 RT @ladydvorak: Please RT! Non violent protesters are NOT being allowed to leave.
16:52 Large fire reported in Parliament Square
16:50 Second Resignation: RT @channel4news: We’re hearing that Jenny Willotts has resigned – from our policitical correspondent @cathynewman
16:40 RT @solomonsmfield: RT @GoldOccupation Reportedly: Number of police officer who dragged man out of wheelchair – KF936
16:30 Around 5 to 600 ppl outside double police line in whitehall,outside the kettle,minor scrufflings with police.
16:28 RT @GreenJennyJones: Just helped a young woman who was pushed over, held on ground & hit by police. ‘they wldn’t stop’ http://bit.ly/ijaWes
Beaten to the ground
Eyewitness report by Hannah Nicklin speaking to a bloodied student
Student dragged from wheelchair
16:04 Clare Solomon via SMS: Police are saying they are about to kettle everyone in Parliament sq. And that there will be more horse charging. Nice….
Protester lying injured on College Green
15:47 @kaygeeuk: Just had word that one of our Cambridge girls was crushed by a horse and has had her collar bone broken.
15:36 BBC reports protester seen lying on floor with head injury
Police horses used against peaceful protesters
Ariel Shots of protest in Parliament Square
15:10 BBC Reporting sporadic skirmishes as protesters move away from Parliament Sq.
March passes LSE
March passes Holborn
First video of Malet Street Assembly
14:44 Police continually trying to kettle the demo – and the kettle keeps getting broken
14:42 BBC Reports protesters removed from House of Commons debate for chanting anti fees slogans.
RT @eastlondonlines: #demo2010 #dayx3 #ELL demo is now in the heart of Par Sq after fences destroyed http://twitpic.com/3ecjii
14:25 Protesters trying to break through police lines in Whitehall
Fences broken and crowd spills into Par Sq
Coppers laying into students in parliament sq with horses. Its started kicking off #demo2010
RT @tamsinchan: Cops in riot helmets at Parl Sq. No pressure on cop lines tho’ 1 or 2 objects thrown. 1000s of protesters #demo2010 #dayx3
Newcastle march
Image from Newcastle Uni Occupation blog
Live Update from Newcastle Protest
Rally in Russell Square
By Adam Gabbatt
UCL bans the press
We have just heard that UCL have banned all press from filming inside UCL buildings. In addition they are not letting any press vans into the main UCL campus.
Police Prepare
Riot shields at parliament Square
Camden School for Girls – 24 hours of occupation
