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STUDENTS last night (Thursday) slammed police tactics claiming they had seen fellow protesters dragged away unconscious and bleeding from tuition fees demonstrations in Westminster.

The West End Extra was in Whitehall for the protests and witnessed chaotic scenes as students were “kettled” and charged by mounted officers. There were also reports of an officer being severely injured and of students pelting police with paint bombs and letting off fireworks.
 

Pimlico Academy pupil Augusta Riddy, 18, described the police response to the student action as ­“terrifying”, saying she had been “held captive for five hours”.

“There were huge numbers of people there who were under 18 and they were basically being held captive by the police,” she added. “It’s totally unacceptable in my opinion. These were people being held there, peaceful protesters, and then they were charged at because they could not get out the other way as there were police blocking the exits.” She claimed that she had seen unconscious protesters “being carried away with blood on their faces”.

Speaking by phone from Parliament Square, which was surrounded by police, Westminster Kingsway College pupil Yousuf Molade, 17, said: “The police are denying us our legitimate right to protest. They are not ­letting anyone get near Parliament and everyone is being kept in the square for hours.”  

The day began with students from across London – including around 100 from the University of Westminster’s Regent Street ­campus – marching to Trafalgar Square to join others from across the country who had travelled to central London to show their opposition to the rise in tuition fees.
 

As they massed outside Parliament, the govern­ment won the crucial Commons vote on raising the upper level of tuition fees.

The emotive day of action – which had been billed as a “Shut Down London” event – follow­ed weeks of colourful protest that witnessed occupations of university buildings and even sit-ins at primary schools.

On Wednesday two students who volunteered to represent an occupa­tion of University College London in court were informed they could face paying out £40,000 in legal costs to UCL. It follows a human rights legal challenge to the university’s application for a possession order in the London County Court in Regent’s Park on Wednesday.

On Thursday hundreds of students turned the foyer of Euston station into a “free education zone” during the evening rush-hour. 

Activists handed out spoof Evening Standard newspapers.