Students demonstrated and marched in towns and cities across Britain yesterday in the third day of protests against tuition fees, university cuts and the abolition of the Education Maintenance Allowance.
In London tens of thousands of school pupils and college and university students gathered in Trafalgar Square.
They started their march earlier than scheduled and when the way down Whitehall to Parliament was barred by lines of police, they broke up into big groups and moved so quickly around Westminster and the West End that the police ‘kettling’ tactics were defeated.
There were also protests in Leeds, Birmingham, Sheffield, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Manchester and Bristol and many other towns.
Many students spoke to News Line on yesterday’s demonstration in London.
Georgina Webber, from West Thames College, said: ‘We are sticking up for the right for everyone to go to university, not just rich people.
‘The kettling is frightening.
‘And you cannot register your distaste just by standing around, and that’s why things kick off, because what’s happening is really terrible. It’s defensive anger.’
Lucy Sumner, aged 16, said: ‘It’s good to protest. We have to get our message across. Writing letters won’t help.’
Her friend, 16-year-old Ellen Rusby, added: ‘When the £9,000 tuition fees come in it will be us that will have to pay them. Everyone should come out against the education cuts.’
Haydn Albrow, an art student at Wanstead High School, was carrying a placard saying: ‘Don’t Break our Arts’.
She said: ‘Art is the only subject I’m good at and if they cut it I’m screwed, I’ll have no future.’
Daniel Cohen, a recent graduate from the Royal Academy of Arts, said: ‘The Tories are creating a class structure at university. They are trying to prevent poorer kids from going to university.’
Barbara Blake, PCS National Officer, London Region said: ‘Students are fighting for their future and for an education system accessible to all.
‘We support their fight and hope they support ours. We are facing 500,000 job cuts in the public sector. There has to be united action.’
Steve Hedley, RMT London Transport Regional Organiser, attending with his union banner, told News Line: ‘It’s important to support these kids fighting for the rights of the working class to have an education.’
Labour MP John McDonnell told News Line: ‘To avoid kettling, the students dispersed very quickly from Trafalgar Square and they have been marching very quickly.
‘A large group is being kettled near Buckingham Palace. There’s no need for these police tactics, not in the freezing cold and with young people especially.
‘The demonstration has been perfectly peaceful and the clear message to the government, and the Liberal Democrats in particular, is that the students aren’t going to go away or give in.’
