Okay, first off, do you know that for sure...? Second off, two million people protested peacefully against the Iraq war - it happened anyway, whereas one riot was all it took to get rid of the Poll Tax back in the 1990 AND get rid of Mrs Thatcher.... RESULT.... So, bring on the fukkin' riots say I.....

 

No of course I don't know it, but from watching the videos I can make an impression. Also, the whole point of the protest was for it to be peaceful, yet these people have turned up with balaclavas, so yet again, such a negative spin for students, as people will think it was organised... the bank was just ONE place where the protests appeared, yet it is getting all the attention. The coalition know students are not happy, but what good is creating a riot going to cause? f*** all. All the media focus now is not on students fighting for younger students so they don't get screwed over, but it is on all the violence that it has caused, which is absolutely not the point of the thing. Nothing good is going to come out of it.

when you put it that way, it makes me definatly think rioting is the way forward, it's a shame it is, but you have to fight extremity with extremity i guess, they were waing Anarchost flags from the roof aswell apparently.

 

Indeed they were... Pity they mis-spelled the word "Future" as "Futrue" on one of the placards, but I guess you dont get Spell-checker on "Angry Placard Wizard", must be in beta-testing.... :lol: :lol:

just to disprove what Rooney said about it not being students:

 

I've just spoken to one of the protesters who disputes some of the reports that the Millbank building and roof protests were engineered by non-students – saying "only a couple" of people of the 30 on the rooftop were not students.

 

Olivia Wedderburn, 18, from Kingston in south east London, was one of "20 to 30" protesters who managed to get onto the roof of the Millbank building at around 2.30pm.

 

She is a second year A-level student at Esher College, in Kingston, studying History, English literature and Philosophy.

 

"We were in the courtyard [of Millbank]and people were smashing through the glass to get into the building and saying 'Come in', so we just went into the building," Widderburn said.

 

"Then there was an opportunity to go up the stairs so we thought 'Oh we'll do that', so we went up there.

 

"There were only about 20/30 people going up the stairs, but on the way up the whole staircase was flooded – they had pulled down a fire hose and flooded all the floors. All the windows were getting smashed, everything was getting smashed up all around."

 

"They were mainly young students, just a couple of older guys who looked like old school anarchists," she said.

 

"I only saw two people who didn't look like students."

 

from guardian.co.uk

just to disprove what Rooney said about it not being students:

from guardian.co.uk

 

Now, this is the sort of Coalition I like the sound of - Students and "Old-School Anarchists..."....

That whole article just about proves my point LOL

 

'young students' e.g as/a-level students that don't really have a point, old-skool left anarchists just doing it to cause a scene, and a few non-students. Regardless of who did it, it is moronic, and I can't believe they have the audactity to brag about it, as all the good work a lot of people have put in has just hit the fan.

That whole article just about proves my point LOL

 

'young students' e.g as/a-level students that don't really have a point, old-skool left anarchists just doing it to cause a scene, and a few non-students. Regardless of who did it, it is moronic, and I can't believe they have the audactity to brag about it, as all the good work a lot of people have put in has just hit the fan.

 

Rooney, seriously, stop being a negative nelly... This is GREAT.... And your comments about Anarchists are really just crap tbh, as if to imply they're not committed or something or know what they're actually on about... You'll actually find that Anarchists are seriously clued-in people....

That whole article just about proves my point LOL

 

'young students' e.g as/a-level students that don't really have a point, old-skool left anarchists just doing it to cause a scene, and a few non-students. Regardless of who did it, it is moronic, and I can't believe they have the audactity to brag about it, as all the good work a lot of people have put in has just hit the fan.

 

what do you mean they don't really have a point they are the ones who will be affected by it, not all the current uni students protesting.

The thing that people are missing out on is the bigger picture - the University fee rises and cuts to Uni funding are only one part of a bigger problem - ie, the Coalition Cuts Programme. Which is why you see Anarchists on this protest too, it's all part and parcel of the same thing.. The Anarchists see the bigger picture, they're smart, University funding cuts of 40% are gonna hit students, lecturers, university libraries and learning resources, and the whole higher education system like a fukkin' freight train, funding is going to be cut to Humanities, Social Science and Arts degrees, there are some universities which may even close down completely.... This is NOT just about fees, it's a much bigger problem than that.... -_-

Good blogpost by Billy Bragg:

 

Those lining up to condemn the actions of students at Millbank as contrary to the traditions of British democracy should be reminded that it is the Liberal Democrats who have failed to live up to those traditions, not the students. By making a manifesto commitment to abolish tuition fees, the LibDems picked up hundreds of thousands of votes from those hoping to see the return of the fully funded education that was enjoyed by earlier generations.

 

Photo opportunities were staged at which candidates signed pledges. Leaflets were distributed promising abolition. This week, a Labour MP was thrown out of parliament and his election declared unlawful for printing lies in his campaign material. Will any Liberal Democrat MP be named and shamed in the same manner?

 

The last parliament was blighted by a lack of trust between MPs and voters over the issue of expenses, but that charge could arguably be laid at a minority of self-serving members. The Liberal Democrat’s betrayal over tuition fees goes much deeper, to the very heart of our democracy.

 

When people cast their vote, they do so in the belief that voting is the best way to achieve the changes to society that they desire; that citizens coming together on the same day to express their opinion via the ballot box is the fairest method yet devised for holding politicians to account. Candidates make their commitments in the hope of winning support and, having chosen the party that most reflects their views, the voter seals the deal on those commitments by marking their cross on the ballot paper.

 

This process was developed over many years as a way of ensuring that change came with consent and not with violence and bloodshed. People got angry and took to the streets, but the ultimate sanction was always democracy. But when the democratic system breaks down and puts into government a party that not only breaks its commitment to abolish tuition fees but actively supports their increase, then the anger of those who feel they have been betrayed is surely justified.

 

The coalition cabinet contains a majority of Oxbridge educated millionaires whose parents could easily afford the kind of privatised education now being planned by the government. And what excuse did Nick Clegg offer for his U-turn in the Commons yesterday? The financial situation. While the bankers who got us into this mess pile up billions of pounds to distribute in bonuses, the tax-payers who bailed them out are facing cuts in public services across the country.

 

The students laid down the first challenge to the coming cuts and, thanks to a few thousand hotheads at Millbank, their arguments are headline news and a new generation are radicalised. How long will it be before they are joined on the streets by nurses, teachers, firemen, public sector workers and the citizens they serve? And, yes, perhaps even by the same policemen who confronted them today.

I kinda disagree aswell.. these people are the next generation of the tax payer you could argue. This government should realise that these students are livid, and are really playing with their lives! With violence, they'll be able to see exactly what they will be dealing with.

The thing that people are missing out on is the bigger picture - the University fee rises and cuts to Uni funding are only one part of a bigger problem - ie, the Coalition Cuts Programme. Which is why you see Anarchists on this protest too, it's all part and parcel of the same thing.. The Anarchists see the bigger picture, they're smart, University funding cuts of 40% are gonna hit students, lecturers, university libraries and learning resources, and the whole higher education system like a fukkin' freight train, funding is going to be cut to Humanities, Social Science and Arts degrees, there are some universities which may even close down completely.... This is NOT just about fees, it's a much bigger problem than that.... -_-

 

Yes and by decreasing creating funds, they are going to make us pay more which people still will. My vice-chancellor of the Uni I go to is actively supporting the cuts as he knows that the Uni will most likely have MORE money by charging students whatever they like by joining the Ivy League system. It's obvious we all agree these cuts are stupid, but violence is not the answer as it will do NOTHING. All it does is undo the hard work, effort and time a lot of people involved with various univerisites students' unions efforts over the 20-30 people's brain lapse. All this has done is create a huge uproar about the violence - nothing about the good work a lot of people have put in.

 

And Josh, I don't think they'll really care, as 50% of the Tory supporters now were probably more inclinced to the left in their student days. Political views change when you're middle class, earning 40k a year and have a family. Obviously there are more graduates now so it may not be the case in the future but i'm only making a vague generalisation.

This is absolutely awesome, we're showing that we're not gonna take any $h!t just because we've been told it must happen due to the 'finanshul crisis' because you know all these students caused it afterall!

 

Or maybe we shouldn't exercise our right to protest or go into a full blown riot when we're getting f***ed over. Maybe we should let the government we elected do what they think is right...

 

... oh hang on a minute!

As ever, it was mainly the SWP that was responsible for the storming of the Tory HQ. Rather wonderfully, Craig is advocating that tanks should've been brought in over at Moopy http://www.moopy.org.uk/forums/images/smilies/grin.gif

 

(YES, FOR THE RECORD, I WAS THE TORY TROJAN HORSE THAT LET EVERYONE IN, of course.)

As ever, it was mainly the SWP that was responsible for the storming of the Tory HQ. Rather wonderfully, Craig is advocating that tanks should've been brought in over at Moopy http://www.moopy.org.uk/forums/images/smilies/grin.gif

 

(YES, FOR THE RECORD, I WAS THE TORY TROJAN HORSE THAT LET EVERYONE IN, of course.)

 

 

LMAO, i thought you were joking about Craig until I looked, pure comedy.

Oh dear, the guy is just getting worse! And he thinks it was JamesP and not the fact that he stepped over the line AGAIN with racist bull$h!t?

 

I won't even mention how hypocritical his posts in that thread are let alone the :manson: ness of his name!

Who IS this best friend he has on admin? Is he unaware that the entire management team hate Chrames with a passion?

 

ON TOPIC, I doubt the Daily Mail would've approved of the protest anyway.

Nice little snide dig there by the BBC at the Scottish education system in that article.

 

Just wait till our next budget is announced and we get to feel the effects of Osbourne's axe. They are talking about either making the English pay more to come to Scotland or bringing in a Graduate Tax, despite the SNP's pledge to scrap the Graduate Endowment being the very policy that won them the last election.

I'm pretty annoyed at the hard work going into this whole protest has been completely overthrown by a group of about 20 people. -_-

 

We did go to the Millbank building; my friend took a picture of the inside (radiators, chairs being thrown) We saw one of the policewoman have glass smash in her face.

 

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs968.snc4/76188_10150090061995605_705130604_7687931_1697092_n.jpg

 

 

We left before it got ridiculously awful (as two of the windows near us were smashed down)! There was nowhere near enough police for this event at all.

 

The protest itself was very enjoyable, and I think it made the point by the sheer amount of people who turned up.

Me and my mates got bored at about 2pm and went off to McDonalds, which was about the time it started kicking off and typically we missed everything. Standard. I did, however, meet Charles Kennedy in the Westminster Tesco Express and got his personal assurance that he still planned to vote against the rise.

 

I kind of agree with Scott though... for better or for worse, rioting probably is the best chance of achieving a U-turn, as was shown by the poll tax - people simply wouldn't've cared if today's protest was peaceful. It might not be right, but that's just the way it is. Hopefully this shows the Lib Dems just how angry students are about their trying to win their votes under false pretences (a LOT of the chants and placards were directed at Clegg personally), and that any of them in University seats had better not even think about voting in favour if they want to be MPs in 5 years time.

I kind of agree with Scott though... for better or for worse, rioting probably is the best chance of achieving a U-turn, as was shown by the poll tax - people simply wouldn't've cared if today's protest was peaceful. It might not be right, but that's just the way it is. Hopefully this shows the Lib Dems just how angry students are about their trying to win their votes under false pretences (a LOT of the chants and placards were directed at Clegg personally), and that any of them in University seats had better not even think about voting in favour if they want to be MPs in 5 years time.

 

That speaks a whole lot of sense to me, peaceful protests do nothing, if they could do anything the Government would ban protesting, the Government are not bothered if a dew million march the streets, what they are scared of if that maybe the people are angry enough that they would tear up buildings, that is how they need to notice, it's a shame they don't take peaceful protests properly into account.

 

its a shame people have got hurt, glass in faces etc, but that just shows how bad it is that people have to resort to that, that people are that angry,

 

THESE are the students that really ruined it for the rest...

 

http://twitpic.com/35njg4