Scuffles at large British student protest in London

LONDON - Thousands of students took to the streets in London Wednesday to protest against government plans to raise tuition fees as police were out in force to prevent a repeat of violent clashes two weeks ago.

The students, from all over Britain, gathered at London’s central Trafalgar Square for a march that took them past a number of government buildings in Whitehall.

There were scuffles and occasional clashes as police tried to stop the marchers from reaching Parliament Square, which is flanked by the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey and Big Ben.

The British capital saw violent student demonstrations Nov 10, when students stormed the headquarters of the ruling Conservative Party at Millbank, on the Thames, in an attack for which police appeared to be ill-prepared.

In advance of Wednesday’s march, some student groups had advocated the storming of the Liberal Party headquarters, behind Parliament Square.

The Liberals are the junior partner in the government coalition.

Student anger in Britain has been fuelled by government plans to cut university funding and raise tertiary tuition fees to around 9,000 pounds ($14,250) a year - from 3,200 pounds.