march

Thousands of students turned out on the streets of London yesterday to protest against the increase to tuition fees. We went along to see what the atmosphere was like and to talk to a few of the protestors. Below will give you a feel of the rally: 

Overall, the protest was very peaceful, due at least in part to the huge police presence. There were some 4,000 police officers lining the route of the march, though only 24 arrests were made, mainly for minor offences. The number of protestors that turned up varies depending on who you believe, with the police estimating there were about 2,000, whilst the organisers claim that as many as 15,000 attended.  

Thousands of students are expected to hit the streets of London tomorrow in the latest protest against increased tuition fees. Whilst a number of leading academics lend their support, the police are preparing for the possibility of violence.

Following last year's announcement that tuition fees are to increase to a maximum of £9,000 a year from 2012, unrest has never been far from the surface. Hundreds of thousands of students have joined marches and protests, most notably in November and December last year when a number of largely peaceful protests erupted in to violence.

Academics' Support

After several months of little public action, the National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts has organised a new protest for tomorrow. Up to 10,000 students are expected to gather at the University of London Students' Union before marching to the City- London's financial district. Over 70 academics from institutions across the country have given their backing in an open letter to the Guardian newspaper, stating: