Chilling scenes unfolded on British streets yesterday as thousands of students took to the streets in one of the largest mass protests against proposed higher education reforms. Despite freezing temperatures, demonstrators from major cities including London, Bristol, and Birmingham made their voices heard in a show of unified opposition.
In London, Metropolitan Police confirmed 153 arrests, with the majority occurring after protesters refused to leave Trafalgar Square at the end of the planned demonstration. Earlier, chaotic scenes erupted as around 4,000 students marching towards Parliament attempted to evade what they perceived as police attempts to 'kettle' them. Protesters dispersed into smaller groups, engaging in 'cat-and-mouse' chases with officers across the city, disrupting traffic near landmarks such as Oxford Circus and Buckingham Palace. Windows were reportedly smashed, and missiles thrown at police, who responded with batons.
The Met denied any intention to kettle protesters, attributing confusion to the group starting their march earlier than agreed. However, in other parts of the country, a more cooperative atmosphere prevailed. In Newcastle, Northumbria Police praised campaigners for a peaceful event that saw no arrests or reports of trouble. Similarly, around 400 students marched peacefully through Cambridge and 300 protesters along Edinburgh's Royal Mile.
Bristol witnessed some of the most intense confrontations outside London, with ten arrests reported. Approximately 1,000 local university students lit flares and threw mustard at police, prompting temporary closure of the M32 motorway due to concerns that the march might move onto the carriageway. Meanwhile, students occupied buildings in several locations: around 40 protesters entered a council hall in Birmingham, a similar number took over a university building in Leeds, and students invaded county council offices in Oxford.
Greater Manchester Police reported five arrests but noted a 'loose cordon' around hundreds of demonstrators in the city centre. The widespread display of opposition is set to influence the government's higher education policies, which include significant fee hikes and changes to student funding.