Students fighting to stop education cuts were divided tonight over the justification of violent clashes at the headquarters of the Tory party.
One man from Manchester said smashed windows and wounded police officers were "a necessary evil" as young people fought to get their message across.
Others questioned whether protesters had gone "too far" as smoke from burning placards filled the air outside 30 Millbank.
The atmosphere remained extremely volatile at sunset as some demonstrators threw pieces of burning wood at a small group of riot squad officers guarding the entrance.
Students using scarves to cover their faces and at least one wearing a gas mask mingled with hundreds of onlookers, some sitting on sofas and chairs.
Andrew Speake, 23, a Chinese studies student from the University of Manchester, said: "It's a necessary evil.
"When it comes to smashing windows and using these means, violence, or at least something bordering on violence, it is obviously not the best way.
"The best way is debate and argument but the style in the UK is we are used to people caving in quite easily to big changes.
"Education has gone from free to costing thousands of pounds without much protest and we need something similar to what we have seen in France.
"There is a civil society that's going to fight these things. There is no popular demand for these fees and it needs to come from a wider voice other than from the student movement."
Will McIntyre, 32, a student social worker form Ruskin College, Oxford, added the massive student fees were "unacceptable".
He said: "This is us trying to have our say. I would not like to be associated with the violence.
"Peaceful protest is the way to go and people should consider the fact that there are students and lecturers here."
The huge demonstration against tuition fees by tens of thousands of students and lecturers descended into violence when a group of protesters smashed their way into the headquarters of the Conservative party.
A number of police officers were injured after they came under attack from youths, some wearing scarves to hide their faces, amid scenes of chaos.
Eight people were taken to hospital with injuries after the violence flared at Millbank Tower, next to the River Thames in central London.
The demonstration, organised by the National Union of Students and the University and College Union, started peacefully, with up to 50,000 students, lecturers and supporters, marching from Whitehall past Downing Street and Parliament.
But around an hour after the protest started, violence flared at Millbank Tower, close to the Tate Britain art gallery where the march was due to end with a rally.
Hundreds of workers were evacuated from the building, which also houses other organisations including Government agencies, as windows were smashed and a fire was lit.
About 50 protesters got on to the roof, dropping a large metal fire extinguisher on to riot police. Water fire extinguishers were also let off from the roof and eggs were thrown.
On the ground, sticks and other missiles were thrown at police from a crowd of at least 1,000 spilling out on to the normally busy road alongside the building.
Placards and banners were being burnt, to cheers from the crowd, while protesters inside the building used chairs as they smashed and kicked their way through more of the glass frontage, effectively opening up the whole atrium to the crowd.
One policewoman with a bloody wound to her head was led away from the side of the building by two colleagues. A stick was thrown at her as she went.
A confetti of torn newspaper rained down on the hundreds of protesters gathered outside the Millbank atrium after students gained access to the upper floors of the building.
Water also poured down on them, seemingly from a broken sprinkler system above.
A red flare was let off as the atmosphere within the crowd became increasingly volatile.
The crowd responded to the heavy police presence with loud booing, screaming and chanting.
Students who had got inside the building's atrium tried to pull down the few remaining huge sheets of glass.
Others hurled stuffed pillows while the chants of "Tory scum" increased in volume.
A Conservative Party spokesman said that all its staff were "safe" but could not confirm whether or not they had been evacuated from the building.
NUS president Aaron Porter said a small minority of protesters had "hijacked" the march, describing the violence as "despicable".
He said the violence was not part of the organisers' plans, blaming the trouble on a "small minority" he believed had arranged it beforehand.
"We talked about the need to prevent anything like this and how important it was to act in a responsible way. Unfortunately a minority have undermined us."
An NUS spokesman said: "The trouble makers have let down students."
UCU general secretary Sally Hunt said: "The actions of a minority should not distract from today's message. The overwhelming majority of staff and students on the march came here to to send a clear and peaceful message to the politicians. The actions of a minority, out of 50,000 people, is regrettable."
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So violent disorder and mayhem is the way forward? Hmmm....
By the way, who will be picking up the tab for this tantrum?
Layabouts turn the hoses on them!
Uni education eh! Thank god our leaders knew better.......hang on...........
So they had gone prepared, ballied up and carrying weapons. Some peaceful protest, and would not be surpised if some were not actually students.
Free education until the age of 18 should be a given. After that, students need to fund at least part of their further education themselves. Don't get me started on the benefits (or lack) of further education in the 21st century - as an employer I see the results almost daily. Graduates drifting along believing the world owes them a living; they have little social skills and graces and some are barely able to string a sentence together. Bring back the old polytechnics and stop this obsession of sending every kid to *uni*. Some simply should not be there. Why, for instance, are nurses and chefs now educated in university and not the hospital ward or the kitchen?
No its not a necessary evil. Students should use their power at the ballot box - and the new power of 'recall' electors will have if they think their MP is not longer fit for purpose.
Students have every right to be angry with the Lib Dems over their scandalous broken promises on Tuition fees - don't break windows and fight the police - sack some Lib Dem MP's instead and stay away from violence.
This violence is because the banking mistakes are being paid for by the innocent. Still our government has not hit the banks hard enough, nor have they introduced legislation to ensure that they do not repeat the mistakes that have lead to the current economic situation.
If I was in there situation, I would be damn angry.
Wonder how long it will be before one of these little darlings accuse the Police of attacking them????? Look out for the photo's and the tearful testimonies! There must be some very proud parents tonight? Oh wait a minute maybe not - the Parents don't know where they are!
Go for it.
Violence against the police is obviously inexcusable, except from the EDL of course!
back to the 80s only gonna get worse .......this is what the torys thrive on.riots and unemployment
The start of whats to come, im afraid.
just seen on tv some students dropping a fire extinguisher from the roof onto the police.,a disgrace.
The Labour party and the unions have been going round like henny penny stoking up the hotheads i am sure they are pleased with this hooliganism
if i was the owner of that building i would sue the students union for the cost of the damage and the clean up
More left wing violence to force their views on everyone else - and then they have the cheek to say the BNP are bad!
This has nothing to do with students, most of them left when they saw the violence, it has everything with a group of politically motivated thugs - wouldn't surprise me if a few anti EDL protesters were there judging by the antics.
Students are revolting
There is NO EXCUSE for violence.
They are only in a position to actually be able to to Uni because of the free education they get until they are old enough to apply.
Many countries most of these idiots would have been working for food from the age of 5 - GROW UP and appreciate what you have.
Andrew Speake: "Education has gone from free to costing thousands of pounds"
No. It *always* cost thousands of pounds, it's just that you had it paid for you by the taxpayer, and now you're being asked to stump up some money towards it due to the increase in students over the last decade.
I would be quite happy to see free education returning to the top 10 - 20% of students pursuing a useful degree (e.g. *not* Chinese Studies or Meeja Studies) that would benefit the nation, but the current volume of students means it isn't feasible for all.
Given how the private sector has suffered over the last few years, and how the public sector is about to get a cold bucket of reality poured over it, being a demanding little prima donna probably isn't going to get much public sympathy.
Another G20 in the making. The Police will push one of these nice little students over and end up changing policing public order events forever. If you are prepared to dish it out you've got to be prepared to take it !!!
un-washed vermin - educated my big toe ! baton charge and cs gas ect teach them
I know that a very large number of students are hard working, but I also know that a lot universities can be run far more efficiently.
For example, some of those tutors who cancelled lectures etc today to 'go to the demonstration' have already been caught out. The students they messed around have discovered that some of those tutors are using the so called demonstration time - to mark assessments and enjoy a nice day in the sun. It's time for all of the university departments to get more professional or some of them will just fail in the new competitive market.
WS
A good time to cut back on policing?
It's quite depressing that after years of students being associated with protest against war and oppression, the only thing which seems to get them worked up enough to protest seriously today is their own pockets.
These scenes must remind Cameron and Boris of their splendid old days in the Bullingdon Club, what.
http://iconicphotos.wordpress.com/2010/03/14/the-bullingdon-club/
A return to the 80's maybe? I can't believe I'm watching Tory politicians whining on the TV that they are so so surprised and weren't expecting any of this. I have, since day one they took power. As usual it's the vulnerable that suffer. We had an election and the main voters of the Lib Dems have stuck 2 fingers up at students so damn right they are angry. The plans that are to be implemented are going to cause a brain drain yet again in this country an another lost generation to unemployment and welfare. Of course we all are 'supposed' to share this defecit burden but in reality we won't. I shall expect more of demonstrations like this to come. You will always get a few hard rebels at these demos but if the majority of students didn't agree with what was happening then why ddn't they stop them?
A few water cannons in near zero temperatures would sort that out.........but the government wont allow them! Ha!