Today, November 9, on the first anniversary of the massive student protest in 2010, students from all over Britain are marching in London again against tuition fees, cuts and for free education. We will attempt to provide regular updates during the day from comrades at the demonstration. The Marxist Societies of several universities in London and elsewhere will be marching together (meeting at 10am in Malet Street) and the ULU Marxists twitter account will be reporting live.
5.15 pm: A small number of people are still in the Moorgate area. Lots of police around. The day could be summed up as a very big demonstration by students in favour of free education and against cuts which was met with over the top policing. Just so that we do not allow the aggressive behaviour of the Met to obscure the real issues of the day, here's a quote from Associated Press which summs up the protestors arguments:
Luci Cunningham, 17, an A-level student, criticised the police in an interview with the Press Association: "It's definitely too much. There were police at every corner - we're not animals. I think they went a bit over the top, to be honest ... It was generally a good atmosphere. We came here because we are going to struggle to pay university fees. My mum is a single mother and my sister is already at university and we are working class. We shouldn't have to compromise on education. It's not fair."
There are some picture galleries and videos which show both the massive character of the demo and the aggresive atttitude of the police. Like this PICTURE GALLERY from the Guardian, this PICTURE GALLERY from the BBC and this PICTURE GALLERY from Sky News. This Associated Press raw footage VIDEO:
amd here's another inspiring VIDEO of the march entering London Wall, "students and workers, unite and fight":
Finally, here's another PICTURE GALLERY of the electricians demo earlier today.
With this we close out regular updates of today's protests. The next big appointment of the movement against austerity cuts and making workers pay the crisis of capitalism in Britain is the huge one day strike of public sector workers on November 30.
4.30 pm: Police are kettling the march in the Moorgate / London Wall area. Police officers say it is not "containment", but "you're just not allowed to leave anytime in the next hour". Some people are actually being allowed to leave in small groups, but not let back in. Plainclothes police officers are carrying out snatch arrests amongst the crowd.
Billy Bragg is playing The Internationale at St Pauls #occupyLSX camp and also "Which side are you on"
The Guardian has a VIDEO of the march entering London Wall and the police being pushy with a cameraman:
3.30 pm: The student march is on the move again, passed St Pauls, and the head is arriving at London Wall.
{mp4-flvremote}http://a.yfrog.com/img833/5035/alz.mp4{/mp4-flvremote}
There was tension earlier on, when police blocked the front of the march at Fetter Lane. Sticks and bottles were thrown at the police and a firecracker scared the horses. Students were demanding their right to continue the march, but the police wanted to keep everything under control and put on riot gear and used horses on the crowd. Students chanted "get those animals off the horses". As seen on this Guardian VIDEO:
The whole demonstration looks a bit like a mobile kettle (PIC), surrounded by police on all sides, some on horseback. Lines of police prevent the demonstration on Newgate St from joining the #occupyLSX camp at St Pauls Cathedral and fences and more lines of police prevented the front of the demo from marching down Cheapside towards Bank.
Again, there is heavy and very provocative police presence. A number of arrests have already been made. If there is a riot we know who's to blame.
A small number of sparks are still bing searched and identified at New Bridge St (PIC). The police wanted to prevent at all costs the two demos from joining together.
Meanwhile, at Trafalgar Sq, police brutally removed people who had set up a tent camp and bundled them into a bus. Tents are very dangerous, you see. The Guardian has a video of it:
2.25 pm: The march has now passed Aldwich (PIC) and the Courts of Justice (PIC) after a brief stop at Trafalgar Sq. The mood is angry, militant and jovial at the same time. Police presence is huge (PIC) and very provocative. On several occasions they have run into the crowd trying to snatch students just for wearing a V for Vendetta mask:
They have imposed a whole list of restrictions (don't go here, don't go there, keep together, don't stay for more than two hours, etc) based on the assumption that: "I reasonably believe that the assembly may result in serious public disorder; AND/OR I reasonably believe that the assembly may result in serious damage to property; AND/OR I reasonably believe that the assembly may result in serious disruption to the life of the community." Talk of the right to peaceful protest!
The Guardian blog has this report from one of their journalists
Shiv Malik has just phoned from Fleet Street, along which the march is due to pass shortly. He told me: "I've been to a lot of protests, but I've never seen such police preparation before. Most of the rest of Fleet Street has been blocked off and sealed with two dozenpolice horses and blue road blockades." Shiv said there was an "apocalyptic feel because so many roads in the City have been closed down". He called it "a complete no-car zone".
Electricians demo is now kettled at New Bridge St, off Fleet St. It seems the police wants to prevent them from joining the student demonstration:
The student demo is chanting for the sparks to be released. Sparks are being lined up and searched, asked for details:
1.15 pm: The March left Malet St at 12.40. The NCAFC puts the figure of those marching at over 15,000. Russian TV has life video coverage of the demo and it certainly looks very impressive, though completely sorrounded by police which are setting the pace and keeping students to the announced route. There are many reports of police officers getting people to take off masks and scarves. Some of the students coming down from other parts of the country have not yet made it to the main march and there are reports of Leeds students being delayed because of being repeatedly stopped and searched by the police. Sections 60 and 60AA are in place in most of central London (see MAP), allowing police to stop and search.
Here's a good Guardian video of the march as it passed Bedford Sq:
and a good picture at more or less the same spot:
The electricians protest is still at Blackfriars, where eyewitness put the number at 1000.
12.30 noon: Fairly large crowd at Malet Street (thousands - over 2000 according to Met Police):
but there is also a large number of police officers, including some on horseback with helmets, check points have been erected around the City:
Postmodernist posters are also present.
Meanwhile, the electricians protest (perhaps 600 strong - 500+ according to Met Police), has left the Shard and is making its way to Blackfriars for an official UNITE rally.
11.30 am: As students have started gathering in different campuses in London and also at Malet St, electricians are currently blocking the building site at the Shard:
The Metropolitan Police has issued a reassuring tweet explaing how "At present there is no intention to use baton rounds on today's demonstrations", worryingly though, they use the hashtag #rubberbullets!
10.50 am: This is the police leaflet about how they intend to police the demonstration today. They clearly warn that they will use kettling but of course, "no longer than is necessary to deal with the issue" and "officers will be mindful of your welfare", very reassuring. Oh, and horses, "a valuable part of policing London" and "an effective addition to policing protest" will be "working on this event." Meanwhile the sparks protest has made its way to Southwark. Here are some more PICTURES from the sparks protest earlier on.
10 am: Of course the stage for the day was set by announcements by the Met Police that they are now allowed to use rubber bullets at demonstrations in London and by sending threatening letters to activists. Of course, this will only make the movement larger and more determined.
9.45 am: A lovely sunny day in London .... (not really, it is cloudy, but at least not raining). The day started early with the protest by hundreds electricians and supporters, which started at Liverpool St and then moved to Bishopsgate to finally occupy the Cannon St station (PIC) at about 9 am. Electricians at building sites all over the country have been engaged in a campaign of mass picketing and site occupations since August, after the biggest construction contractors in the country announced that on December 7th they will ask all workers to sign new contracts which are in breach of the nationally agreed terms and conditions (which would mean a 35% pay cut). More on the dispute by Socialist Appeal supporters Steve Kelly (UNITE London Construction) and Russ Blakely (UNITE Portsmouth District 0750)