Massive student demo occupies Tory HQ in London

The biggest student demonstration in living memory has marched in London today against the Con-Dems. It is also the biggest demonstration against the government cuts so far.

Fifty thousand students from all over the country have protested against the raising of tuition fees and the government’s cuts in education. But already the leaders of the movement and the media a re preparing for a witch-hunt.

This was a huge militant demonstration of 50,000 students with sit-downs, banners and placards, flares and a massive occupation of the Conservative headquarters at 30 Milbank.

There were also more than a thousand students marching in the “free education block”, organised by the National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts and other organisations, that started marching from London’s ULU.

This was a huge militant demonstration with sit-downs, banners and placards, flares and a massive occupation of the Conservative headquarters at 30 Milbank.

The building was occupied by thousands of people and protestors reached the top. Staff in the building had to leave and the police were driven out of the building and the foyer. Socialist youth group Revolution flew its flag from the top of the Milbank Tower

This huge demonstration should act as a catalyst for the labour and trade union movement, which should follow suit and build for an even bigger demonstration on the scale of the anti-war movement against the war.

 

Backlash and witch-hunt

A few windows were broken and a couple of police were injured – with more protesters having been injured – all minor.

But that hasn’t stopped the leaders of the movement from criticising the protesters.

Sadly, the NUS president Aaron Porter has already gone on TV attacking the occupiers and the UCU’s Sally Hunt referred to a “mindless tiny minority".

Also the BBC and Sky 24-hour news operation have already blamed the students for violence, talked it up, even making up figures for injured people.They are also asking students whether they members of “other organisations” and talking about “balaclava-masked people turning up with hammers” – without actually providing any footage of such people.

Build the student movement against the cuts

Workers Power supports wholeheartedly the action of the students including those who have occupied Tory central office.

It is a great response to start building a national campaign against tuition fees.

We must also stand against any witch-hunt that will follow, condemn those in our movement who want to inform or criticise and set up a legal campaign to defend anyone arrested.

The students are not the criminals for fighting back – the Tories and their Lib Dem lackies are the real criminals for introducing their cuts.