"We made history yesterday as 52,000 students- the biggest student demo in a generation- took to the streets to make their feelings heard," said the National Union of Students (NUS for short). Yes, we did. However, a small group of militants perverted the message of the masses and ruined the day for all involved. The 10th of November, 2010, will be remembered for the wrong reasons; the attack on the Conservative Party Headquarters.
 |
| Protesters and their signs |
This should not be so. Why? Because out 52,000 students, lecturers and general protesters only a hundred sought out trouble.
As a student taking part in the protest, what was my experience? I joined the crowd armed with pom-poms, not fireworks. There were signs of varying slogans, from "Why don't I bend over for you, Cameron?” to "I only popped out for a pint of milk". At one point, business men stopped their meeting to stare and take pictures of the crowd out of their window. The atmosphere was light-hearted. We certainly were not a nuisance.
The motive behind the gathering was simply to speak out against the coalition government, not to launch an attack on it. The Liberal Democrat leader, Nick Clegg, had betrayed his young voters. He reneged on his promise to abolish university fees and vote against any tuition increases. There was anger, too, against the Conservatives harsh increase in student fees which will keep many out of higher education in the near-future, thus barring many from high earning jobs. Quite rightly, one sign said, “For Higher Education, Wanted:
Rich Family.”
Rich Family.”
 |
| Do I really look "Thuggish"? |
At the moment there are many who are quick to condemn the Demo-lition and the students involved for wasting police time and taxpayer’s money. However, it was the actions of the minority that squandered resources, not the well-meaning majority. We were attempting to secure an educated future for you, your children, your nephews, nieces and grandchildren. Education shouldn't be a emblem of family status as it has been in the past, where only the richest could afford it. With Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA) and Adult Learning Grants (ALG) under threat, alongside plans to increase university fees to over £9000 per academic year, many of the brightest students might it too difficult to juggle finances with learning. Cut need to be made, true, but the expense of the next generation.
If you’re interested in reading more about the student march, here are a few interesting websites:
