Thousands join student protest

Large-scale demonstrations were held in almost every major city centre and every university campus in England yesterday, with students reportedly still in occupation at Leeds University's Michael Sadler building last night and pledging to continue their protest into the morning.

In London the protests again turned violent at times, with police vans and Government buildings attacked and several people injured. Police used controversial 'kettling' tactics to keep the protesters penned in, despite the young age of many taking part.

Police in Yorkshire were critical of the "large numbers" of schoolchildren who joined protests across the region, though student leaders said they "stood in solidarity" with youngsters who will be directly hit by the Government's decision to axe education maintenance allowances and treble tuition fees to 9,000 a year.

Sheffield city centre was one of several across the country brought to a standstill as up to 3,000 students took part in a march and demonstration. Roads were closed and bus services disrupted pupils joined students from both universities to march across the city to the town hall for a rally yesterday lunchtime.

Although the protest was largely peaceful – mostly made up of chanting teenagers wielding home-made banners – some demonstrators threw bottles at police guarding the entrance to the Town Hall and minor scuffles broke out in the large crowd. Police broke up the protest after around an hour.

Caroline Dowd, president of Sheffield Hallam University students' union, said: "We're really pleased with the turnout from both universities and it's a shame that we were ordered to disperse so quickly. It's also really good to see a lot of the sixth-form students engaging – it's them that it will affect in the long-term."

"The future of further and higher education is at stake and we are proud to stand beside our younger colleagues across the city."

Josh Forstenzer, president of Sheffield University Student Union, said of the schoolchildren joining the protest: "This is the generation that will be priced out of education by the coalition's proposals. These are the students who aspire to go to university but will most certainly think twice if the Government's proposals are accepted. We stand in solidarity with them."

After the main demonstration was broken up, students occupied a lecture theatre, calling on university vice-chancellors to publicly oppose the Government cuts.

Superintendent Martin Scothern from South Yorkshire Police said: "We're pleased the majority of people acted responsibly.

"We are grateful for the support and co-operation of the demonstration organisers in assisting a significant policing operation to manage large crowds and make sure the protests were conducted safely and peacefully.

"However, I am disappointed large numbers of schoolchildren joined the demonstrations, and we are working with local education authorities to deal with truancy issues."

Similar protests took place in Leeds yesterday, where an estimated 700 students occupied the university's Rupert Beckett lecture theatre. Some students were reported to have taken to the building's roof, with many pledging they would protest throughout the night.

Earlier in the day more than 1,000 protesters marched from the university into Leeds city centre, bringing traffic to a halt.

Smaller protests also took place at other university campuses across the region, including Hull and Halifax. Large protests took place at other major cities including Manchester, Liverpool, Bristol and Cardiff.

Deputy Prime Minister and Sheffield MP Nick Clegg was once again the target for much of protesters' ire.

He said yesterday he "massively regretted" being unable to deliver on his on his pre-election pledge to fight tuition fee increases, but insisted the Government's proposals were fairer than either the existing regime or the graduate tax backed by the National Union of Students.

There was a heavy police presence outside Mr Clegg's constituency office in Bents Green, Sheffield, throughout the day, though no direct protests materialised.