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| Students and unions staging fees and cuts protests | Students and unions staging fees and cuts protests |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Protests have been held in London and Manchester against higher tuition fees and public spending cuts. | Protests have been held in London and Manchester against higher tuition fees and public spending cuts. |
| Thousands attended a rally in Manchester organised by students and trade unions, accusing the government of "betraying" young people. | Thousands attended a rally in Manchester organised by students and trade unions, accusing the government of "betraying" young people. |
| There were 16 arrests after disturbances when a group broke away from the main body of protesters. | |
| In central London, thousands of students staged a noisy protest march through Whitehall and Westminster. | In central London, thousands of students staged a noisy protest march through Whitehall and Westminster. |
| The event in London was more peaceful than recent tuition fee marches - with some of the protesters afterwards heading to join demonstrations outside the Egyptian embassy. | The event in London was more peaceful than recent tuition fee marches - with some of the protesters afterwards heading to join demonstrations outside the Egyptian embassy. |
| But police said they detained six people during the march in the capital - with groups of protesters "still roaming around the West End" in the late afternoon. | |
| 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". | 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. | "It is betraying an entire generation," she said. |
| This was a good humoured and peaceful march, which will have pleased the organisers. | 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." | 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. | 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. | 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. | There is a big police presence now in the city centre. |
| The lecturers' leader 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. | The lecturers' leader 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". | 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. | "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. | 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. |
| They chanted slogans against the Conservative and Liberal Democrat leaders. | They chanted slogans against the Conservative and Liberal Democrat leaders. |
| 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 in London has passed without major clashes. | But this latest protest in London has passed without major clashes. |
| There were flashpoints along the route - including the Millbank building which had been attacked on an earlier protest - but there were no large-scale confrontations. | There were flashpoints along the route - including the Millbank building which had been attacked on an earlier protest - but there were no large-scale confrontations. |
| Protesters taking part in the protest in London 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 protest in London 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. | 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. | The police have also provided information on the protest through Twitter. |