Student protesters ignore winter freeze in third wave of mass rallies

[Joanne98]

Few arrests and no kettling as thousands take to the streets to demonstrate against governemtn's higher education plans.

The third and most peaceful mass protests against the government's higher education plans took place today as thousands of students took to the streets despite the freezing weather.

Large demonstrations took place in Brighton, Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester, Newcastle, Oxford and London, and there were only minor outbreaks of disorder with about two dozen arrests across the country.

Students got on to rooftops, stormed their way into council buildings, and stopped traffic in dozens of town centres, many saying they hoped the display of feeling would reverberate in Westminster.

The only significant clashes with police took place in London, where the Met tried to forcefully clear streets around Trafalgar Square at nightfall. Windows were smashed and missiles thrown at police, who charged at protesters with batons.

Earlier there had been chaotic scenes in the capital when 4,000 students marching toward parliament tried to evade what they believed were attempts by police to "kettle" them in the bleak weather.

The demonstrators responded by dispersing across the city, in separate marches leading police in cat and mouse chases. One "feeder" march headed into the City, while others meandered past bemused onlookers at Oxford Circus and Hyde Park Corner, and near Buckingham Palace, stopping traffic on route.

"This is truly one of the most bizarre demonstrations I have been on," said Michael Chessum, 21, as he jogged up Regent Street with a group of riot police in tow. "It has been a shambolic policing operation because we had agreed with them beforehand that we would march along Whitehall - but the spirit and determination of the students to march and get their point across has been pretty impressive."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/nov/30/student-protests-tuition-fees-rallies?CMP=twt_gu

[Tansy_Gold]

1. Students are a country's future. Ignore them, mistreat them,

and the country will fail.

Bet on it.





TG

[dixiegrrrrl]

2. Fail seems to be the direction a lot of countries are headed.

USA too.

Boy, I wonder, if I had a crystal ball in 1960, what choices would I have made differently for the "now" we are
experiencing?
We are the last generation of so many values, plans, beliefs, lifestyles.
And perhaps the last vestige of democracy.

[Tansy_Gold]

3. I think you've forgotten

We boomers are everything that's wrong with democracy.

:sarcasm:



TG, NTY

[dixiegrrrrl]

4. That's 'cause we mingled with all those dirty Commie Pinkos at Woodstock

or sumpin like that.

Oh, yeah, and we spread all that "free love" around.

Yep, single handedly brought Western Civilization down, we did.