UK students protest university fees

[me b zola]

Source: Aljazeera

Tens of thousands of students are protesting against plans by the British government to raise university tuition fees, smashing windows and lighting fires in London, the capital.

Wednesday's protest near the houses of parliament is the largest street demonstration in the country since the government announced tough austerity measures to curb public deficit.

Students attempted to force their way into the party headquarters of David Cameron, the prime minister, forcing the building to be evacuated.

Several dozen protesters managed to get into the lobby of the building, while outside police faced off
an angry crowd.

"We are destroying the building just like they are destroying our chances of affording higher education," said Corin Parkin, 20, a student at London's City University.


Read more: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2010/11/2010111014445069753.html

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I love Europeans. They have lived under feudal lords before, and they aren't willing to go back easily. US conservatives, OTOH, are fighting in the streets for their feudal lords.

[Lars77]

1. Sky News live:

Riots in London now.

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Thousands-Of-Students-Protest-In-London-Against-Tuition-Fees-And-Smash-Windows-And-Start-Fires/Article/201011215798223?lpos=UK_News_Carousel_Region_0&lid=ARTICLE_15798223_Thousands_Of_Students_Protest_In_London_Against_Tuition_Fees_And_Smash_Windows_And_Start_Fires_

[alanquatermass]

15. My Dads email reaction was: "The West is witnessing the continuation of the 1st real global tantrum-

...stretching from Greece, to France, to Berkeley, to London. The babies in every country – so used to entitlements – are now being told that the piper must be paid. But because no one taught them the basics of finance – their only reply is 'wah, wah,' and 'wah.'

Yeah, Dad's a Republican. And in that email he was quoting a Republican named Greg Gutfeld.

And that, of course, is a typical Republican reaction. Does Gregg/my Dad make some good points there? Maybe. One or two.

But mostly it just sounds intolerant and..."Daddy-ish", doesn't it?

[Lars77]

16. This is a generational conflict

Most western European mean around 50 or so have had it pretty good. They've mostly had stable jobs with good benefits, free education and union protection. Now they are sitting with downpayed houses, debt free, with good seniority in the workplace. They are electing conservatives like Merkel, Sarkozy and Berlusconi while telling the younger generation who is struggling to find jobs, housing etc that they are too well off - while the youngsters are wondering if the planet they inherited is beyond repair.


My dad's the same way, completely oblivious to the challenges facing the younger generation.

Spain has a youth unemployment rate of about 40%, and the youngsters are getting austerity measures shoved down their throats by older people who are telling them "take your medication" after they themselves have benefited from this system for almost a lifetime.

So while the older people are thinking the younger are ingrateful, the younger are thinking "what the hell have i got to be grateful for?"

[alanquatermass]

17. Lars, if all of these austerity measures are being implemented...

-- or at least being PROPOSED -- by so many different countries at exactly the same time (France, Spain, the UK, etc.) -- is this perhaps not an indication that "the system" as it exists right now is broken and needs to be fixed?

Maybe the money to support "the system" is just running out. And what do we do when THAT happens?

Keep in mind, I am an American and therefore not as close to the situation as you are (I assume you are in Spain?) so any light you can shed on this subject would be most welcome. Thanks.

[Lars77]

19. I'm not an economist, but..

i am a Norwegian living in Germany, attending a University where they impletented tuition fees for the first time last year. Next year, due to lower school reforms the University will absorb twice as many BA students, while facing 10 million Euro cutbacks. And this is happening in a region where the economy is actually strong (Bavaria).

It's pretty clear that these are bad economic times, but i think that a lot of young people and working class people in Europe feel that their future is being taken from them by a new generation of free market liberalist politicians and economists, put in place by a generation that is now more well off than any previous generation.
It was them that caused, and profited from the financial crisis. And now we're in a hole. And to "fix the economy" they are now blaming and dismantling the welfare state that the older generation benefited from, because "we can't afford it anymore". That just seems terribly unfair, because they are making it out like the system has become unsustainable over night.

So i think that these people are simply exploiting this crisis that they themselves created, to once and for all destroy the European welfare state that they are ideologogically opposed to, to put in place a more "Americanized" system where workers have less power, people have fewer benefits and rich people pay less tax. The result is this conflict that is not just a conflict of ideology but also generational.

Now obviously i'm not saying that all older people are rich and conservative and all young people are the opposite, but in general this is what's going on in my opinion.

[alanquatermass]

20. Interesting. But just so I understand...

When you say, "these people are simply exploiting this crisis that they themselves created, to once and for all destroy the European welfare state that they are ideologogically opposed to" -- you are saying that these people took advantage of, and grew fat on, a system that they are ideologically opposed to.

In other words, they exploited a system they didn't necessarily agree with and now -- having looted the treasury -- they wish to ABOLISH that system. Is that about right?

Just trying to understand.

[Lars77]

21. I guess i wasnt totally clear,

the people who want to destroy the system are the trickle down free-market economists and politicians. But i think they have mostly been voted into office by older, more conservative voters. And now these voters who put these people i office are often fairly well off and taken care of. And they see the protests of the younger generation as more of the complaints of a spoiled generation.

[alanquatermass]

22. Oh, I see! Okay. That makes sense. One more question though, Lars...

Here is my question: Even though it is VERY unfair that the previous generation who benefited from the Welfare State is now voting to dismantle it -- how on earth can it continue if there is no MONEY left to support it?

Don't get me wrong: I am sorry the money is gone, Lars... it sucks! It isn't fair! And nice people like you don't deserve for this to be happening to them.

But the fact is, the money IS gone, and fair or not, the question is... What happens NOW?

[Lars77]

23. How about sharing the pain?

A small tax hike for the rich perhaps? Special tax on corporate bonuses over a certain sum? Say 5 million? Outlaw golden parachutes (outrageous compensation for getting fired)?


I find it hard to accept that "the money is just gone". It's only a matter of what we prioritise.

[alanquatermass]

24. Got it. And, of course, good luck over there...

Best,

Alan

[Lars77]

25. Thanks for the chat :)

Have a look at this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25yNHMSBigI&feature=sub

[me b zola]

2. Here's a video from MSNBC

Scroll down to "massive student protest in the UK". Then you have to tolerate a freaking comercial...then the video:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032507/ns/world_news

[me b zola]

3. More from CNN:

~snip~
Students and university staff are protesting against government plans to allow universities to charge up to 9,000 pounds (about $14,500) per year in tuition fees -- a substantial rise from the current cap.

"We are taking to the streets in unprecedented numbers to tell politicians that enough is enough," National Union of Students President Aaron Porter said in a statement before the demonstration.

more @ link:http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/11/10/uk.protest/index.html

It seems the conservative government wants to triple the cost to attend university.

[Crowman1979]

4. I wish we were more like those protesters.

Just wait until the Teabaggers in congress want to start a holy war on Iran. I'll be out their in the crowd protesting--for damn sure.

[Freddie Stubbs]

10. What is stopping you now?

[Crowman1979]

11. My job

It is part time and I'm still trying to look for a full-time job right now. Hopefully when I have enough income, then I'll be able to join in without having to worry about whether their will be enough money for food and gas. Although if their was an anti-war protest in Atlanta, then I would be able to make it.

[Kingofalldems]

13. He's being a smartass--don't even answer him

He is not one of us.

[Crowman1979]

14. Thanks for the Troll warning!

[flamingdem]

5. U.K. Students Break Windows at Conservative Party Headquarters Over Fees

Source: Bloomberg



U.K. Students Break Windows at Conservative Party Headquarters Over Fees
By Kitty Donaldson and Chris Spillane - Nov 10, 2010 4:37 PM GMT


Demonstrating students broke windows at the complex housing the headquarters of U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron’s Conservative Party in London in protest against plans to cut funding to universities and increase tuition fees.

The protesters smashed glass on the ground floor of the 27- story Millbank Tower on the north bank of the River Thames, close to Parliament, today as a planned march turned violent. Demonstrators started a fire outside the building, burning effigies of Cameron and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg. London’s Metropolitan Police said eight people -- both police officers and protesters -- suffered light injuries.

Cameron’s coalition government plans to allow British universities to charge as much as 9,000 pounds ($14,000) a year for tuition, almost triple the current level, as the government seeks to cut subsidies to colleges without hurting teaching and research. It’s the first major protest since the government outlined its plans on Oct. 20 to reduce spending by 81 billion pounds by 2015 to narrow the record budget deficit.

“We may be becoming more Greek and French in our attitude to economic stringency,” Bill Jones, professor of politics at Liverpool Hope University, said in a telephone interview. “Usually the British are much more culturally phlegmatic. This may be a sign of things to come.”

Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-11-10/u-k-students-smash-windows-at-conservative-headquarters-in-fees-protest.html

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And so it begins. Thanks Cameron, great idea to triple the fees.

[flamingdem]

6. Youtube video shows the intensity of this scene

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zdMwpCO8t4

[DavidDvorkin]

7. At least they chose the right target

As opposed to the angry voters in our (U.S.) recent election.

[flamingdem]

9. Excellent point! An education helps them determine who is at fault he he nt

[DeSwiss]

8. Churn, churn, churn. Almost there. n/t

[Crowman1979]

12. I'm not surprised by the reactionary violence against the police, seeing how they...

...have turned into a paramilitary force in recent years; beating, gassing and deafening people without regard to rights. Now only if something can be done about those damn sound cannons.

[StarsInHerHair]

18. the police are like that in the UK? I'd heard they didn't have

guns-is that way outdated? & tripling university fees is outrageous; I don't think the system is broken, I think the top 1% is running a massive thieving operation, after all they bailed out the Banks over there too, right? The top 1% is the source of the cuts to civilization, tax them &/or jail them.