Student Protest

[Kirkby]

I might of seen you on TV. So you reckon u made ur point and its the right way to go? Also im guessing the police didnt take any of ur details at all?

Out of interest, did you take the office chair home? U should hold on to it as a keepsake = P, you know something to tell the grandkids and all

Yes, I believe we did.

Bottom line is, if we didn't do something that drew attention to the cause it would be 'just another protest'. The entire of UK media is gripped on this story and as such, our voices have been heard. There is talk of ministers resigning over this and Lib-Dems voting against it.

A major success.

The problem was that twat with a fire extinguisher.

Also, the protesters were more organised than the police. Half the police watched the vandalism, the other half stood still in a wall formation on the right hand side, while everyone else broke in through the left. Not to mention the lack of back up. They too no details at all.

And did I mention the NUS people telling us to go duff up the building? Aaron Porter didn't and neither has the press....

And no I didn't, I refuse to lug that on the long train home. I do however have some ripped picket and some glass from the front left window.

Good,im glad the lib-dems are taking a good look at them selves, they sold them selves out and its about time they realised it.

Yer it was kind of worrying how un-organised the police were, i mean it was good for the protesters but i expected them to have a little bit more of a plan than bricking themselves till the riot boys showed up. HAHA i thought the NUS woudnt be as against today as Aaron said they were, which members were telling u to carry on? Anyone important or just random members?

 

[Danny Ocean]

Though I'm against the increase in fees, I'm also against the Student's Union, since they don't seem to have a FUCKING ALTERNATIVE.

Yes they do. They said a while ago, on paper, that they advocate the 1% extra tax for the rest of your life (or whatever the value was) in the place of extra fees. Seemed like a great idea to me, too. There's always the odd millionaire who can make up for all the other middle peeps.

Yes because I would just LOVE to pay for a loan that I can never clear, rather than one I can work back to paying. Higher fees is the best choice in a bad bunch.

1%? Really? You probably lose that much money down the back of the couch every year. Put your personal machinations to one side and think about the effect of increased educational costs on a primarily tertiary industry based society for a few hours.

I see your point about the indefinite thing, but I think the idea is that those who don't make enough money to pay back the loan end up paying less, and those who make tonnes can help pay for anyone else. Meanwhile, it's only those who benefit from having a degree (and studies show that almost everyone does) who have to pay for it, rather than everyone else.

 

[Lexodus]

Good,im glad the lib-dems are taking a good look at them selves, they sold them selves out and its about time they realised it.

Yer it was kind of worrying how un-organised the police were, i mean it was good for the protesters but i expected them to have a little bit more of a plan than bricking themselves till the riot boys showed up. HAHA i thought the NUS woudnt be as against today as Aaron said they were, which members were telling u to carry on? Anyone important or just random members?

One Lib-Dem MP was in on the march and joined the crowd. Most made statements this evening about their voting plans.

NUS people directed us to the building. We started a riot.

There was a large socialist group who started some of the violence, but most students joined in.

Photographers everywhere.

And the police were shit at their job.

Was that the woman at the back with the megaphone telling us to tear them a new one?

 

[thebighead01]

You obviously missed the bit where someone threw a fire extinguisher onto the police from the roof, that coulda been quite deadly.

Also, I wouldn't say the media are that up in arms about it, both bbc and sky news have made a point about saying that only a few of the protesters are being twonks and that most of the students there were being nice, peaceful and productive.

Anyway, I am very much against the violent destructive side of the protest. It undermines any serious point people were trying to make, it also causes the protesters to appear like a bunch of uncivilised scumbags.

And to anyone that says they don't think peaceful protests can work I'll ask you to remember ghandi, the guy's a household name for a reason

good for the students, especially the ones who used violence. Before you idiots start quoting Gandhi let me remind that 1 million people came to the streets of London to protest against going to war in Iraq and we STILL went. And that protest was peaceful beyond any reason. And let me also remind you that protesting against anything is harder than ever in this country. You have details taken, photographs taken, can be arrested under anti-terrorism legislation for protesting, black listed, etc. Please don't be simple by saying that all these students had to so was protest peacefully because lets face it the government will be passing this through parliament whether anyone likes it or not. It's better to go down fighting than on your knees. I just hope there are more protests like this in the future.

If they'll be passing it no matter what what's the point in causing pointless destruction and injuring innocent, hard working, productive police officers?

And I'd say it's better to go down fighting in a civil dignified manner than like a screaming brat.

you serious??? innocent? hard working? productive??? police officers enforce, no, blindly enforce laws passed by politicians not in an effort to protect people but make the biggest politically influential group in any western democracy feel safe and happy i.e. the middle classes. when they say that people should be protesting peacefully it means that you have to play by their rules. to subvert them in defiance is a win. so called civil dignity is a clean term that they use to demonise those opposed to them while making them seem legitimate. it also means that people like you swallow it up and say more please. and that pointless destruction was targeted, for one, at conservative headquarters, the people who are in government right now doing their best to cut everything they see. do you really want to continue this conversation???

What? Policemen are among the ones who will get totally fucked over by Conservative policies. you really think that screaming at the guy in riot armor like he's your enemy is achieving anything, other than making you look like a colossal dickhead? He's on the same fucking side - problem is, he needs his paycheck to keep his family well-fed and safe. Resist, of course, fight back when it is needed - but that guy in the uniform is just as unhappy about it all as you are. Remember that. Don't roar at him... don't do that to anyone. I do, however, agree wholeheartedly with the property destruction. I agree with pushing back when they push us, but I don't agree with turning violent towards other people unless it is absolutely necessary, unless those people want to see you hurt or want to opress you. If Ghandi managed it (and he had a lot to work against) then we can manage it. But I'm not against scaring the shit out of them now and then - they need to know what we, the people, are capable of.

On another note, I'm glad to find so many other people who find the conservatives to be nothing short of despicable.

I understand that, I don't want them getting hurt any more than anyone else does, nor do I want to see any of them lose their jobs or benefits, however, it's hard to feel sympathy for them when they are protecting the very people who are doing all the cuts. I'd rather see the police protesting with everyone else over this. You know that all the government has to do to tackle the the so called economic blackhole is to place a 5% tax on ALL profits from banks and bankers and all their transactions and we will be back in the black.

 

[Danny Ocean]

I understand that, I don't want them getting hurt any more than anyone else does, nor do I want to see any of them lose their jobs or benefits, however, it's hard to feel sympathy for them when they are protecting the very people who are doing all the cuts. I'd rather see the police protesting with everyone else over this. You know that all the government has to do to tackle the the so called economic blackhole is to place a 5% tax on ALL profits from banks and bankers and all their transactions and we will be back in the black.

The judiciary is suppose to remain impartial. Once the police or the army gain the ability to use their power without a mandate, you're on the road to a coup. There are examples throughout history.

Besides, there's a good reason for them not taxing the banks, I don't like it, but here it is: Mobility. The rich can move, the poorer cannot. If you tax the rich, they move to the USA, or tax havens, and then we get no money from them at all.

That's the theory, at least. No government will want to be the government to challenge that. I mean, what if it turns out to be true? The results would be disastrous.

 

[Bad Jim]

no because you take a loan out to go to university. iv said it before and i will say it again ITS NOT FOR EVERYBODY, some people will get no benefit from going to university and some courses are completely arbitrary. This mindset that uni is the only way is complete nonsense, all the raise in price means the universities can afford to stay open (being that they are in MASSIVE debt) and people have to think twice before signing up to a course they dont know.

I agree that only a few people should go to uni, but it should be the talented few not just the rich few. If your school/college grades are exceptional, the government should do what it can to get you a university education, paying your tuition if necessary. You wouldn't get exceptional grades if you were lazy.

 

[Plurralbles]

I pay 12K a year. They can go fuck themselves.

 

[Bad Jim]

there's a good reason for them not taxing the banks, I don't like it, but here it is: Mobility. The rich can move, the poorer cannot. If you tax the rich, they move to the USA, or tax havens, and then we get no money from them at all.

Let them go. They aren't paying tax here anyway. Even David Cameron said that.

 

[Schlagwerk]

From an American's perspective with otherwise no other information on the subject, I'm glad to see protests. My university wanted to increase a lot of fees by 75% or higher and the most of the campus wouldn't lift a finger to oppose it.

I'm already in for crippling debts so I'm siding with the opinions of the students on this one. The violence, well, with that I'm not so sure.

 

[TheHitcher]

I was at the protests in London today. Me and the rest of my fellow students in my university protested like gentlemen and left it at that. We were in no way involved with the riots.

However, I can't feel much sorrow hearing that a bunch of anarchists broke into the Tory HQ and trashed the place.

 

[Daveman]

I think the violence is fairly justified as I know most of my friends who voted for the Lib Dems voted mostly because they were the only ones against higher uni fees and now they're in a coalition they haven't managed to reach any compromise or get anything their way and have sold out their ideas.

I didn't vote. If I had I would have voted Lib Dem and then I would be VERY pissed off.

I have become a lot less patriotic with our new government in.

On another point, all my friends who voted tory are either stinking rich or thick as shit.

 

[thebighead01]

I understand that, I don't want them getting hurt any more than anyone else does, nor do I want to see any of them lose their jobs or benefits, however, it's hard to feel sympathy for them when they are protecting the very people who are doing all the cuts. I'd rather see the police protesting with everyone else over this. You know that all the government has to do to tackle the the so called economic blackhole is to place a 5% tax on ALL profits from banks and bankers and all their transactions and we will be back in the black.

The judiciary is suppose to remain impartial. Once the police or the army gain the ability to use their power without a mandate, you're on the road to a coup. There are examples throughout history.

Besides, there's a good reason for them not taxing the banks, I don't like it, but here it is: Mobility. The rich can move, the poorer cannot. If you tax the rich, they move to the USA, or tax havens, and then we get no money from them at all.

That's the theory, at least. No government will want to be the government to challenge that. I mean, what if it turns out to be true? The results would be disastrous.

Yes you're right, the judiciary should be impartial, however, there are times when they shouldn't be, when they are told to do things that go against the very people that they are meant to serve. however on a whole you are right.

and again you are right about mobility. its a statement that is given again and again as a reason not to tax the rich. this means what though?? allowing the rich to continue to exploit the resources and poplutaion of any country that they are in so that they may increase their wealth and power while also giving them free reign to cause another financial meltdown 10 or 20 years down the line??

i would rather take the risk and tax them. it's not even that much. relative to me I would still pay more tax then them. of course what would be required is a global agreement on this but like you said no politician has the balls to do anything against the rich, and instead pick on the groups in society that they think are easier, like students for example.

 

[Crazy_Dude]

There were a lot of High School riots a few years ago because they wanted to increase the numbers of hours you needed in a year. But as far as I remember no one got seriously hurt a few classmates of mine got seriously bruised because the Riot Squad hit them with one of their clubs.

 

[DrCalgori]

Well this was a pretty shitty protest. I'm currently in my third year at uni myself and i got spammed with invites to the "march" from my uni for a good solid week. it ended up being people making retarded hipster signs (most of which didn't make sense) and ended up leaving their signs all over the place and everyone pretty much bumming around most of london without a real purpose. It was a half assed protest which ended in violence, which made the "cause" lose face overall. The government will now inevitably raise the fee's anyway (then again they always were...what was a protest going to do to stop the goverment raising the fee's when their cutting back and raising prices in ALL aspects of the economy anyway) just to spite us and show that they don't negotiate with delinquents that go around causing chaos in a supposed peaceful protest.

Then again i had to pay £10K a year in this country anyway due to some shitty legal flaw, whilst i saw the same asshole professor park up his Bently in the parking lot. So either the uni is gonna fuck you (to make more money since, lets face it, their a business out to make money) or the goverment will. If anything its a good life lesson into the real world, get use to it.

Edit: Trying to avoid a political argument, but why the hell is Cameron in power? And more importantly, why isn't there a SINGLE party that doesn't sell out and go back on the promises they make during the elections? As i keep hearing, the government is there for the people and not vice versa. The current major parties are all equally full of shit so where does that leave the UK? :/

 

[Sonic Doctor]

snip

£6000 is about $9648

and how do you afford that? Do you get some kind of loan or something?

I get loans from the government, some I don't have to pay back, some I do. I got an education award from my state that is about 3,000 dollars, for keeping my grades good, and during the years I didn't get enough money to pay from those areas, I took out loans from loan companies.

Unless students have a rich family that pays, or is able to get a job during school to pay some of it off, I would say that the average student at a lower than average priced university like I am going to, will be at least 40,000 dollars in debt when they graduate.