University Campus Oldham students have condemned the violence experienced during a demonstration against tuition fees in London. But still believe their protest was successful.
More than 50 local students travelled to the capital to join the NUS and UCU demonstration against the proposed hike in tuition fees.
But violence broke out as some students stormed the Tory Party HQ, occupying the lobby and smashing windows and wounding police officers.
Mofozzul Choudhury, Student Union chairman for UCO, said Oldham students were not involved in the violent clashes with police and did not support any of the violence.
“I was at the front of the march and didn't know of any of the trouble until it was announced,” said Mofozzul. “It was meant to be a peaceful march and we didn't expect to see anything like this but as with any big demonstration this kind of thing can happen.
“We were expecting 25,000 peiple and more than 50,000 showed up. My only criticism is how come the police didn't prepare for it.
“Emotions were running high but this violence was very unfortunate and disappointing to see.
“I'm hopeful that people will remember that it was a successful march not because of the trouble but because of the turnout.”
Under the coalition's plans students could face fees of £9,000 a year. They would not have to pay anything up front and would only pay back loans once they started earning a substantial amount.
But the NUS argue that such large debts will deter people from poorer backgrounds from going to university.
Mofozzul said: “Education if for life and without it no one can succeed in the future.
“We need to make sure future generations are protected.
“You many not have to pay up straight away but people fear the debt they will face and this will put off many from further education.
“It was important for us to attend and protest for the preservation of future generations.”
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"successful"?
Have they canceled the plans to increase tuition fees? Blimey well done all you students - now get back to bloody work!
So let me get this straight a call centre worker, waitress, hospital porter or shelf stacker at a supermarket on £ 5.80 per hour taking home £8-£9k a year sees about
£145 per week take home pay after tax & NI....
Many people who work in the above trades who dont have formal education nor are capable (admittedly some not motivated) of getting a BSc, BA, MBA etc.
The tax they pay should be used to fund a students education so that they come out as a lawyer, pharmacist, engineer on £40k to £ 175k a year.....
Please tell me how this is fair ?
Seems that 'students' have now occupied the Chancellor's office at the Uiversity of Manchester...
Am I the only one sick to death listening to whinging students? If they don't like it join the army or get a job in the real World
how can these students hope to get the public on side when they go out using violence like this," I cant get my own way so I'll smash some windows and shout and scream " If you want to go to uni then try earning some of the fee's yourself others have to do it why should it all be paid for,sorry but we have to earn our money and pay our tax,If everyone in the country has to suffer with the new government then so should they,and violence never solved anything,did you get what you wanted, NO
I wonder just how many of the demonstrators in London were students and how many of them were the usual left wing rent-a-mob suspects? They always turn up to spoil genuine protests! Remember the Poll Tax riots?
I have nowt against students who want to study hard and forge a worthwhile career in whichever field they choose be it teaching, medicine, engineering or whatever but I don’t buy this 'everyone has a right to further ed' claptrap and going to uni just for the sake of it.
The fact that sudents from ‘University Campus Oldham’ feature in this article underlines my next point and that is that instead of hiking up the fees they should just get rid of all the stupid little Uni's that do joke degrees and just keep the good ones for the people who will go get a proper degree and a decent job.
Why should we all get screwed on tax and face cuts just so some (and I do only mean some NOT all students) can go on a 3 year bender and only end up working in a supermarket or something anyway and never pay back the loan.
Let’s just stick to the traditional Uni’s and yes maybe if your family can afford it pay a little more to attend Uni but if some bright kid from a poor background wants to be a Doctor or something then lets use the money saved on helping these students through Uni as it will only benefit us all in the long run.
The Iraq War Protests: Peaceful.
Poll Tax Protests: Violent.
Which was more successful?
When you've got a government that won't listen and sticks to its ideology (as the Tories tend to do); it is understandable how violence results. Perhaps if the media gave better coverage to peaceful protests then this problem wouldn't occur?
The Iraq War Protests: Peaceful.
Poll Tax Protests: Violent.
Which was more successful?
When you've got a government that won't listen and sticks to its ideology (as the Tories tend to do); it is understandable how violence results. Perhaps if the media gave better coverage to peaceful protests then this problem wouldn't occur?
Personally I was disappointed at the students for trashing Millbank; there were so many Bank HQ's nearby and they are the one's to blame for this mess. Or Vodafone for not paying their taxes.
the debt the students get into by further education is a joke and they want to increase the fee's aswell !! i have never attended university but my son is. i would prefer him to finish a 3 year course than be stuck in a dead end job like me, at least he's learning a vocation in media and better than the dole or behind a shop counter part time work like his mates are doing. no future or a proper jobs and how are they going to buy a house, Bank of Parents.
I am the Chair of UCO. Just seen some comments and critism about spellings and this protest. Let me make it clear that I did not spell or wrote this news and only spoke to Advertiser on the phone. So who need the lesson for correcting spellings? Those who are critising about this protest, it's because you had free education and didn't had to pay like us and this is why you don't know the pain of it. Hope this makes clear for some people why we are concern.
Well done those Oldham students - and great you didn't have anything to do with the crazy violence. Someone could have been killed when a fire extinguisher was hurled off a roof.
Stick to your guns - this country has to invest in education - at all levels - and we want kids from working class backgrounds to have a fair chance. We have no future as a low paid low skilled economy !
AS THE DAMAGE WAS DONE AS A RESULT OF THE STUDENT PROTEST, THE DAMAGE SHOULD BE PAID FOR OUT OF THE STUDENTS LOAN. ANYONE ARRESTED FOR CAUSING CRIMINAL DAMAGE SHOULD BE STOPPED FROM ENTERING UNIVERSATIES AS THEY HAVE SHOWN THEY ARE IRRESONSABLE PEOPLE. YORKSHIRE