Students were involved in a series of angry confrontations with the police in central London on Thursday as allegations circulated that officers had used unacceptable levels of force to break up campus protests more than the previous few weeks.
Video footage obtained by the Guardian appeared to present one officer striking a hooded protester in the encounter right after college students occupied portion of the University of London Senate Home headquarters on Wednesday.
On Thursday about 200 college students held a “Cops off campus” rally outdoors the University of London Union creating, which led to more violent confrontations with scores of officers that spread to surrounding streets. A Metropolitan police spokesman mentioned there had been 36 arrests.
Michael Chessum, president of the University of London Union, explained: “The level of police force that we have noticed in the final couple of days is absolutely unprecedented on university campuses. It seems pre-planned. It is as if they are reacting to a riot situation – taking the degree of force – and utilizing it towards college students protesting on a university campus.”
On Wednesday, demonstrators had occupied element of the University of London Senate House headquarters. Police and the university’s private security staff broke up the demonstration and five protesters had been arrested, with one particular held on suspicion of assaulting an officer.
College students claimed the police and personal safety staff had been unnecessarily violent and accused officers of assaulting them. Video footage seen by the Guardian appeared to show one particular officer striking a hooded protester in the encounter. In the footage, the demonstrator – who gave his identify as Tee Jay – fell to the ground and the crowd was pushed back.
Jay, 24, from Hackney, north-east London, explained: “Nothing was mentioned. The police have been attempting to clear the crowd of individuals. I turned my back to [the police officer] to variety of walk away, he pushed, I kind of turned round to see who it was – ‘Why are you pushing me?’
“The punch came and I went straight to the floor, then I acquired up and left.” The University of West London media production student said he was component of the group that occupied an region of Senate Home.
Another protester, Helen Singh, a philosophy pupil, claimed she was pushed over by officers, who were “punching men and women indiscriminately”. “We had been walking away from the protest. I was pushed to the ground and my glasses smashed into three pieces,” she stated.
A police spokesman mentioned: “We have acquired no complaints in relation to police action at Wednesday’s protest.”
On Thursday, at a demonstration against police techniques, which had been organised before Wednesday’s incident, about 200 demonstrators marched from the pupil union to Senate Home.
When demonstrators arrived, there have been skirmishes with police, who have been previously within the premises. Several much more police vans arrived and more than the subsequent two hrs there have been a series of clashes among small groups of protesters and police in the surrounding streets. College students again claimed the police had been hefty-handed.
Chessum mentioned he believed the “unprecedented response” by the authorities was component of an try to cease the student protest motion gaining momentum.
“They know from 2010 [when there have been large-scale pupil protests in London and close to the country] that this kind of heavy-handed policing puts individuals off, and I think this is what they are making an attempt to do this time.”
Police accused of using excessive force at student protests
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