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Students and unions staging fees and cuts protests | Students and unions staging fees and cuts protests |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Protests have been held in London and Manchester against higher tuition fees and public spending cuts. | |
Thousands attended a joint rally in Manchester organised by students and trade unions. | Thousands attended a joint rally in Manchester organised by students and trade unions. |
Six people were arrested in disturbances when a group broke away from the main body of protesters. | |
In central London, thousands of students staged a noisy protest march which ended in a rally in Westminster. | |
The event in London passed peacefully - with some of the protesters leaving to join demonstrations outside the Egyptian embassy. | |
The march through Manchester brought together protests against higher tuition fees with wider trade union opposition to spending cuts and job losses. | The march through Manchester brought together protests against higher tuition fees with wider trade union opposition to spending cuts and job losses. |
The BBC's Danny Savage estimated that there were about 3,000 at the rally. | The BBC's Danny Savage estimated that there were about 3,000 at the rally. |
'Betrayal' | 'Betrayal' |
The general secretary of the UCU lecturers' union, Sally Hunt, addressing the rally in Manchester, accused the government of being at "war with young people". | |
"It is betraying an entire generation," she said. | |
This was a good humoured and peaceful march, which will have pleased the organisers. | |
Protesters, making reference to events in Egypt, wore badges saying: "Walk like an Egyptian." | |
But after the protest had ended and the crowds were dispersing, a small group splintered off and there was some minor trouble. | |
A small but loud group also made their views heard about wanting to replace the National Union of Students president, Aaron Porter. | |
There is a big police presence now in the city centre. | |
She attacked the government for raising tuition fees in England to a new upper limit of £9,000 per year and for scrapping education maintenance allowances for college students. | She attacked the government for raising tuition fees in England to a new upper limit of £9,000 per year and for scrapping education maintenance allowances for college students. |
Emma Bates, aged 17, from Greenhead College in Huddersfield, explained why she was taking part in the protest. | Emma Bates, aged 17, from Greenhead College in Huddersfield, explained why she was taking part in the protest. |
"We are not going to take all these government cuts lying down. The only way of doing that is by protesting." | "We are not going to take all these government cuts lying down. The only way of doing that is by protesting." |
There have also been divisions within the protest groups - and NUS president Aaron Porter was challenged by demonstrators wanting a more militant leadership. | There have also been divisions within the protest groups - and NUS president Aaron Porter was challenged by demonstrators wanting a more militant leadership. |
Universities Minister David Willetts said the government's plans for higher education would provide "more financial support for poorer students". | |
"Our student and university finance reforms are fairer than the present system and affordable for the nation," he said. | |
In London, with banners such as "Still angry, still here," protesters sent the message that the campaign against higher fees and university spending cuts had not disappeared. | |
Social networking | Social networking |
Saturday's rallies have been the latest in a series of demonstrations and occupations by students. | Saturday's rallies have been the latest in a series of demonstrations and occupations by students. |
On the day MPs voted to raise fees, there were angry scenes on the streets of London as thousands of students marched through the capital. | On the day MPs voted to raise fees, there were angry scenes on the streets of London as thousands of students marched through the capital. |
But this latest protest has passed without the major clashes that marked previous demonstrations. | |
Protesters taking part in the rally in Westminster have been using technology to avoid being held in a police "kettle" - with the launch of a mobile phone application designed to identify blocked routes. | Protesters taking part in the rally in Westminster have been using technology to avoid being held in a police "kettle" - with the launch of a mobile phone application designed to identify blocked routes. |
As with previous demonstrations, protesters have been using social networking websites and Twitter to organise and share information during the event. | |
The police have also provided information on the protest through Twitter. | |