Clashes erupted in central London today as thousands of students, including those from Glasgow and Cornwall, took to the streets to protest against university tuition fees and education funding cuts. The Metropolitan Police confirmed four arrests were made during the demonstration, with two individuals accused of assaulting a police officer and two for alleged affray.
Organisers estimated that up to 10,000 students participated in the largest student mobilisation since the 2010 protests at Millbank. For much of its route, the march remained peaceful, but tensions flared when a breakaway group numbering several hundred, including individuals wearing masks, removed security fences around Parliament Square.
Police reported that various missiles were thrown during the clashes, and protective fencing was pulled down by demonstrators. The group occupying the area in front of Parliament engaged in 'cat and mouse' tactics with police for approximately two hours, staging impromptu demonstrations outside government departments, high street businesses accused of tax avoidance, and Conservative Party headquarters.
During this period, paint bombs were reportedly thrown at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and a nearby Starbucks. Smaller groups of protesters continued to cause disruption as police 'snatch squads' made further arrests, sparking angry reactions from the crowd.
The protest aimed to reignite the campaign for free higher education in the UK. However, questions have been raised regarding alternative funding models if tuition fees were abolished, with some estimates suggesting a significant proportion of student loans may never be fully repaid.