Tuition fees protest brings chaos to London

Protesters angered by proposals to increase university tuition fees brought violence and chaos to London streets once again last night.

Tens of thousands of students were joined by lecturers and parents during a national day of action against the controversial changes.

Organisers said the marches, occupations and sit-ins were an opportunity for protesters to make their voices heard peacefully. But Westminster bore the brunt of lawlessness a fortnight after the Millbank riot as two police officers and 11 people were injured. At least 15 protesters were arrested for offences including violent disorder, theft and criminal damage as barriers were thrown and fires lit in the street.

The clashes centred around a stranded police van that was ransacked and looted a short distance from the entrance to Downing Street.

Police were forced to “kettle” hundreds of protesters for around four hours a short distance from the Houses of Parliament as tensions ran high. The tactic was widely criticised after around 5,000 people were penned in outside the Bank of England during the G20 protests last year.

Thousands also joined protest marches in Manchester, Liverpool and Brighton as pupils walked out of school in Winchester, Cambridge, Leeds and London. Meanwhile students occupied buildings in Oxford, Birmingham, Cambridge, Bristol, Plymouth and in the capital.

Senior officers deployed extra reserves in London yesterday after police were caught off guard by an attack on the complex of buildings housing the Tory party headquarters on November 10.

The main protest march was stopped by lines of dozens of officers in Whitehall yesterday before it could reach Parliament Square as around 10,000 people gathered in central London. There were sporadic violent clashes as some demonstrators hurled missiles, climbed fencing and attempted to wrestle metal barriers from police as others set off fireworks.

In other areas of Whitehall there was a party atmosphere, with students jumping up and down to dance music and holding a mass hokey cokey as helicopters hovered overhead.