Student protest: After the carnage, the cleanup
By Ian Dunt
Police, politicians and protest leaders were picking up the pieces today, after a day of violence in central London prompted outrage in political circles.
From Seoul, David Cameron gave a series of interviews condemning the violent sections of the protest and promising to push ahead with government plans to raise tuition fees.
Back in Westminster, MPs debated the issue in the Commons, with all parties condemning the actions of a “small minority” of hardcore troublemakers.
The police confirmed they would conduct an internal inquiry as to what went wrong while student leaders tried to distance themselves from the violence by roundly condemning those who took part in the attacks on Conservative HQ.
Comment: On the front line with student protestors
Nick Herbert, policing minister, gave an oral statement to MPs this lunchtime to update them on what happened.
He informed the Commons that the police had worked closely with the National Union of Student (NUS) in advance of the strike but that student leaders had underestimated the number of people who would attend. Original estimates had put numbers at 5,000, although this was later raised to 15,000. In the end around 50,000 people attended.
Police originally deployed 225 officers to the protest. When the scale of the demonstration became clear, a further 225 officers joined them.
Student protest violence in pictures
A break-away group of protestors set to work attacking the building which houses the Tory HQ, as the anti-tuition fees march went up Millbank, at around 13:30 GMT.
The foyer of the building was completely destroyed. Activists managed to storm the roof of the building, setting off fire extinguishers and unfurling banners.
Mr Herbert said police were informed that staff in the building were concerned for their security at around 13:00 GMT. By 16:00 GMT police had located the staff and escorted them safely out the building.
A search of the office complex resulted in the arrest of 47 people for criminal damage and aggravated trespass. Transport police made a further three arrests. Several others were photographed, registered and allowed to leave pending further investigation.
Forty-one police officers were hurt.
Mr Herbert admitted that there had not been enough police at the scene and welcomed the internal investigation being conducted by the Met.
“Yesterday’s protest and policing clearly did not go to plan,” he said.
“In this case the balance was wrong but these are difficult decisions and they are not taken lightly. Responsibility [for the attack] lies squarely and solely with those that carried it out.”
Speaking for Labour, Ed Balls reiterated Mr Herbert’s points.
“The vandalism and violence we saw yesterday is unacceptable,” he said.
“It was perpetrated by a small minority of thugs. They denied tens of thousands of students and lecturers to have their voices heard.
“We on this side of the House are clear too. There is no excuse for such criminal behaviour and those responsible should be brought to justice.”
The debate soon turned to the actions of the student unions leading the protest. Tory MP Nadine Dorries accused NUS stewards of inciting the vandalism, despite comments from union president Aaron Porter condemning the violence.
Other Tory MPs pointed to comments on Newsnight last night from Clare Solomon, president of the University of London Student Union, who said she had “no problem with direct actions or occupation”.
She added: “These were a few windows of the Tory party headquarters – what they’re doing to our education is absolutely millions. and they want to complain about a few windows.”
But Labour MP David Lammy reacted angrily to the attempt to associate the violence with union leaders. He accused MPs on the government benches of “slander” in their treatment of student union leaders.
Meanwhile, the prime minister was attacking the violence from his trip in South Korea.
“I thought it was extremely serious. I could see a line, a thin blue line, of extremely brave police officers trying to hold back a bunch of people who were intent on violence and destruction,” he said.
“I think we need to learn the lessons rapidly.”
Mr Cameron was extremely critical of the light police presence at the protest, which ended up numbering far above expectations, at around 50,000.
“I think the police themselves have said that the problem here was about the planning, was about the intelligence, was about the resourcing of that particular operation.”
The prime minister was quick to dismiss suggestions that yesterday’s scenes were a precursor of things to come, either in terms of poll-tax style riots or a reduced police presence due to public spending cuts.
“I am quite convinced that the reductions in police spending that we’re making can actually be done without losing the visibility and the activity of the police officers on our streets,” he said.
Tuition fee protestors give their take on the demo:
“There have been protests – both peaceful protests and sometimes protests that have turned quite nasty – under all governments.
“Look, people who assault police officers or who smash windows or who break property they are breaking the law and, yes, those people I hope that they will be prosecuted. They should be.”
He added: “Lawbreaking is not acceptable and I hope that the full force of the law will be used.
“We won’t go back. Look, even if we wanted to, we shouldn’t go back to the idea that university is free.”
London mayor Boris Johnson reiterated the condemnation.
“I am appalled that a small minority have today shamefully abused their right to protest,” he said.
“This is intolerable and all those involved will be pursued and they will face the full force of the law.
“The Metropolitan police commissioner has assured me that there will be a vigorous post-incident investigation. He will also be reviewing police planning and response.”
Meanwhile, Met commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson admitted that more police had been needed and that they had underestimated the scale of the protest and its capacity for violence.
“It’s not acceptable. It’s an embarrassment for London and for us,” he said.
“I think we’ve also got to ask ourselves some questions. This level of violence was largely unexpected and what lessons can we learn for the future?”
The NUS’ Mr Porter admitted members of the public may have lost sympathy for the student movement because of the violence.
Speaking on BBC Breakfast, he said: “What we had done was assemble 50,000 students which I’m sure would have got a hell of a lot of attention and would have sent a clear message to government.
“But if we’re now having to spend time talking about the rights and wrongs of violence and criminal damage, actually in many respects I think it undermines our argument rather than allowing us to concentrate on the devastation to our universities and colleges.”
On the same programme, Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg admitted that his political future was uncertain, now that he had decided to break his pre-election pledge on tuition fees.
Asked if anyone would ever believe one of his pledges in the future, he replied: “You need to be careful. I should have been more careful perhaps in signing that pledge at the time. At the time I thought we could do it.”
Police confirmed this morning that a total of 50 people had been arrested as a result of yesterday’s violence. All have now been bailed.
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