25/11/2010

Police Tactics Defended Over Fee Protest

The Met Police Commissioner has defended tactics employed in London yesterday to control tuition fee protests. He also added that they "got it wrong" during the NUS March on November 10.

As tensions mounted near the Houses of Parliament, Officers "kettled" hundreds of people for over six hours.

Protesters had planned to demonstrate over the Liberal Democrats broken pledge to scrap tuition fees outside Liberal Democrats' Westminster HQ, however police kept them away.

Recently, Liberal Democrat MPs, including the Deputy Prime Minister, indicated they will vote for higher fees despite previously pledging not to.

Urging protesters to closely study proposals in a speech this week, Mr Clegg said: "Listen and look before you march and shout. Our plans will mean that many of the lowest income graduates will repay less than they do under the current system."

Two weeks ago 50,000 people took part in the protest to call an end to rising student fees.

As marchers took to the streets of Westminster, violence erupted with more than 60 arrests made. Many attending the protest needed medical attention.

Police were criticised for deploying too few officers during the November 10 protest. Hundreds more were employed on the streets of central London yesterday.

The clean up is now underway in Westminster after bus shelters were vandalised, Treasury windows were smashed and a police van ransacked.

Rallies took place across the country in London, Birmingham, Glasgow, Manchester and Cambridge.

(BMcN/GK)


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