Report And Photos From Anti Cuts Demo 5/12/10
Syder | 05.12.2010 17:22
Today again saw Bristolians take to the streets to protest the ConDem's cuts to education.
Almost as soon as 300 or so protesters had gathered at College Green at midday, the first attempt by the police to kettle them began as a cordon formed along the bottom of Park St. However the protesters were alert to Police actions, and moved quickly up the street to prevent being surrounded. Walking briskly up Park St, while chanting 'No Ifs, No Buts, No Education Cuts' and 'Tory Scum' they avoided a second cordon that began forming across the top of Park St, and then turning back from a third cordon which was formed at the Whiteladies Rd end of Clifton Triangle and running into a kettle outside Natwest bank partway back along the Triangle.
Protesters linked arms and tried to walk through police lines, arguing that they held a right to free assembly and peaceful public protest, but were met by a flurry of police fists which drove them back. While some protesters were allowed to leave, about 150 were kept on the triangle for about 45 minutes, before being marched in a moving kettle back down to College Green where they were detained until 3pm, when they were allowed to leave in small groups. While being detained for over two hours in temperatures just above freezing, several protesters complained to police about needing the toilet, but were refused to leave the kettle to alleviate themselves.
The protest was the third this week which has seen Bristolians take to the streets to protest the ConDem coalition's proposed cuts to education which will see university fees rise from £3000 per year to £9000, making them among the highest prices for a university education anywhere in the world. Alongside this proposed rise in student fees, the rate of interest paid on the dramatically increased student debts will be significantly increased, state funding for social sciences, humanities and arts departments will be cut by 100% (ie it will be removed entirely) and the EMA, a benefit targeted at 16-18 year olds from poorer backgrounds will be scrapped.
Almost as soon as 300 or so protesters had gathered at College Green at midday, the first attempt by the police to kettle them began as a cordon formed along the bottom of Park St. However the protesters were alert to Police actions, and moved quickly up the street to prevent being surrounded. Walking briskly up Park St, while chanting 'No Ifs, No Buts, No Education Cuts' and 'Tory Scum' they avoided a second cordon that began forming across the top of Park St, and then turning back from a third cordon which was formed at the Whiteladies Rd end of Clifton Triangle and running into a kettle outside Natwest bank partway back along the Triangle.
Protesters linked arms and tried to walk through police lines, arguing that they held a right to free assembly and peaceful public protest, but were met by a flurry of police fists which drove them back. While some protesters were allowed to leave, about 150 were kept on the triangle for about 45 minutes, before being marched in a moving kettle back down to College Green where they were detained until 3pm, when they were allowed to leave in small groups. While being detained for over two hours in temperatures just above freezing, several protesters complained to police about needing the toilet, but were refused to leave the kettle to alleviate themselves.
The protest was the third this week which has seen Bristolians take to the streets to protest the ConDem coalition's proposed cuts to education which will see university fees rise from £3000 per year to £9000, making them among the highest prices for a university education anywhere in the world. Alongside this proposed rise in student fees, the rate of interest paid on the dramatically increased student debts will be significantly increased, state funding for social sciences, humanities and arts departments will be cut by 100% (ie it will be removed entirely) and the EMA, a benefit targeted at 16-18 year olds from poorer backgrounds will be scrapped.
Syder
Original article on IMC Bristol:
http://bristol.indymedia.org/article/702376
