Large-scale student demonstrations against cuts in Britain (Roundup)

Nov 24, 2010, 17:56 GMT

London - British universities erupted in angry student protests Wednesday at funding cuts and higher tuition fees planned by the Conservative-led government.

The focus of the nationwide protests was in London, where an overwhelmingly peaceful march by thousands of students was punctuated by isolated violent incidents.

Police were out in force in the capital as reserves were called in to stop demonstrators in the government quarter from reaching Parliament Square, which is flanked by the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey and Big Ben.

Scotland Yard said two police officers and six protesters were injured in the confrontations. At least 15 people were arrested.

A handful of demonstrators attacked and tried to overturn an empty police van on Whitehall, outside the government seat of Downing Street, climbing on to the vehicle's roof, smashing its windows and lighting fires around it.

Police blocked in several hundred demonstrators they believed were behind the violence for several hours, while the bulk of the peaceful protestors eventually dispersed.

The police were clearly determined to prevent a repeat of violent student demonstrations in the capital on November 10, when students stormed the headquarters of the ruling Conservative Party at Millbank, on the Thames.

Police appeared ill-prepared for that attack. But as Wednesday's country-wide demonstrations showed, the anger aroused by the government spending cuts, and the proposed rise in fees from 2012, is unlikely to die down.

In advance of Wednesday's march, some student groups had advocated the storming of the Liberal Party headquarters, behind Parliament Square. The Liberals are the junior partner in the government coalition.

Some anarchist groups called for 'roaming marches to disrupt business across central London,' while others predicted the unfolding of an 'unprecedented wave of student revolt' not seen since 1968.

'People obviously have a right to engage in lawful and peaceful protest, but there is no place for violence and intimidation,' Prime Minister David Cameron said Wednesday.

There were smaller demonstrations and lecture walk-outs at other major universities, including Cambridge, Bristol, Manchester and Liverpool.

In Bristol, police officers were called in to escort dancers out of a ballet studio after the student union building was besieged by some 2,000 protestors.

Student anger in Britain has been fuelled by government plans to cut university funding and raise tuition fees to around 9,000 pounds (14,250 dollars) a year - from 3,200 pounds.

The anger is directed in particular at Nick Clegg, the Liberal leader, who pledged before the May general election that his party would 'never' agree to a rise in tuition fees.

Clegg has repeatedly said he regrets having made that promise, adding that 'in politics as in real life' not all promises could always be kept.

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