Student clashes and riots in the United Kingdom

[nagerous]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-11726822


A lot of anger, a lot of violence. Thousands of people, thousands of students voted Nick Clegg because of his promise not to increase tuition fees and he has flagrantly broken this promise with planned education cuts and a three times increase on tuition fees. Absolutely terrible.

[Phatscotty]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-11726822


A lot of anger, a lot of violence. Thousands of people, thousands of students voted Nick Clegg because of his promise not to increase tuition fees and he has flagrantly broken this promise with planned education cuts and a three times increase on tuition fees. Absolutely terrible.

Sounds like education got out of hand over there...

[nagerous]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11728270

[radiojake]

Property destruction is not violence -

I abhor violence as a means to attempting to solve disputes between individuals, as it doesn't solve anything. However, what is meant to be done when fighting a system absolved from responsibility? Vote them out and let the next joker double education fees also?

Education is already to favoured to the priviliged and elite - What happens when ordinary people cannot afford to attend anymore?

[Pedronicus]

1 million people peacefully protested against the Iraq war and the government ignored them.

Violent protests always get a better response. The Poll Tax Riots, Broadwater Farm Riots, Emily Davison.....

[Baron Von PWN]

Property destruction is not violence -

umm yes it is. I agree with your other sentiments.

[Pedronicus]

property destruction is Vandalism not violence.

[Baron Von PWN]

property destruction is Vandalism not violence.

Destroying someones property is a violent act. You don't get to go around smashing windows and then claim to be a pacifist.

[nagerous]

We seem to be going off-topic here debating the meaning of violence, however as per this article by the guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/201 ... rvative-hq it is clear that there was violence too with the 35 arrests and the 14 injuries.

However, although a peaceful protest turned into a situation of violence, I am largely of the opinion too expressed by radiojake. The politician's intentions are to screw the middle classes and the poor who cannot necessarily afford to send their children off to university. Education should be for the masses, not just some privileged elite who were born into wealth. Students are already coming out of university with heaps of debt, with the graduate market so parched already and the lack of jobs available in this current economic climate, a 3x hike on university fees is just going to create more and more problems for the next generation.

[DAZMCFC]

property destruction is Vandalism not violence.

maybe, but throwing a fire extinguisher from the roof of the building is violent enough.


bloody students.

[saxitoxin]

A kudos to whomever said destruction of property is not violent. I said the same thing in the G-20 thread! And everyone jumped on poor ol' Sax's head for that one. But, cyber high-five to those who recognize that property cannot be defaced, stolen or destroyed, only liberated by the people.

Here in California - whose debt crisis is almost as severe as that of the UK - the Trustees of the California state university system have increased tuition 52% over the last two years, now capping at a record $4,800 per year. And yet, the state still has billions to fund its prisons to punish the poor, just like Cameron refuses to eliminate Britain's Trident nuclear warmongering forces.

[nagerous]

property destruction is Vandalism not violence.

maybe, but throwing a fire extinguisher from the roof of the building is violent enough.


bloody students.

I don't think it was all students, a lot of the people doing the destruction were older anarchists.

[Phatscotty]

We seem to be going off-topic here debating the meaning of violence, however as per this article by the guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/201 ... rvative-hq it is clear that there was violence too with the 35 arrests and the 14 injuries.

However, although a peaceful protest turned into a situation of violence, I am largely of the opinion too expressed by radiojake. The politician's intentions are to screw the middle classes and the poor who cannot necessarily afford to send their children off to university. Education should be for the masses, not just some privileged elite who were born into wealth. Students are already coming out of university with heaps of debt, with the graduate market so parched already and the lack of jobs available in this current economic climate, a 3x hike on university fees is just going to create more and more problems for the next generation.

Wait one sec. the politicians are taking away education from the middle class and poor? Sucks they have that much control...

on a sarcastic note, what the point of an education when there aren't any jobs available anyways? Globalization happened, and anyone who used to have a lot of jobs is fooked because they found someone else to do it for 80 cents/hour

[AndyDufresne]

We seem to be going off-topic here debating the meaning of violence, however as per this article by the guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/201 ... rvative-hq it is clear that there was violence too with the 35 arrests and the 14 injuries.

However, although a peaceful protest turned into a situation of violence, I am largely of the opinion too expressed by radiojake. The politician's intentions are to screw the middle classes and the poor who cannot necessarily afford to send their children off to university. Education should be for the masses, not just some privileged elite who were born into wealth. Students are already coming out of university with heaps of debt, with the graduate market so parched already and the lack of jobs available in this current economic climate, a 3x hike on university fees is just going to create more and more problems for the next generation.

Wait one sec. the politicians are taking away education from the middle class and poor? Sucks they have that much control...

on a sarcastic note, what the point of an education when there aren't any jobs available anyways? Globalization happened, and anyone who used to have a lot of jobs is fooked because they found someone else to do it for 80 cents/hour

Just wait til the machines make our lives a job. Then we can all be happy.

Or intravenously sad.

Spoiler

--Andy

[radiojake]

on a sarcastic note, what the point of an education when there aren't any jobs available anyways? Globalization happened, and anyone who used to have a lot of jobs is fooked because they found someone else to do it for 80 cents/hour

And yet despite this you still maintain a free global market is the best solution?

[nagerous]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010 ... fees-clegg SCUM

[nagerous]

big vote today and the riots in london

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRKcPZt61SQ

[nagerous]

Youtube is a must see, even charles couldn't escape

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/201 ... es-protest

[Phatscotty]

And these people aren't even paying taxes yet....

[rockfist]

I never understand why people riot, when people riot it turns many undecideds against their cause.

[Titanic]

I never understand why people riot, when people riot it turns many undecideds against their cause.

Rioting has a better track record then peaceful protests in convincing governments to backtrack and change their policies. Perfect example is the poll tax riots vs Iraq War protests.

As someone said last night "When the police charged into Trafalgar Square on their horses to break up the riot, it was the beggining of the end for the poll tax". However when 1.5 million people marches through central London against the Iraq War, it was just a popular protest that the political elite just did not listen to.

Politicians and the establishment hate civil unrest and uncertainty in the population. If you riot and get on the front pages and provide international embarrassment after trashing the centre of the capital you are more likely to get your voice heard then if you send 20,000 people through the street every other week holding candles and placards.

Btw, this is not condoning everything that has happened, it is just the facts on modern day politics. My favourite highlight from yesterday was the protesters chanting "we came to get our money back" after breaking into the Treasury. It made me chuckle.

[thegreekdog]

So... UK residents - what's the deal? Why are tuitions being hiked? Are we talking Greece/Italy/Spain/Portugal here? Inquiring minds what to know.

[rockfist]

I never understand why people riot, when people riot it turns many undecideds against their cause.

Rioting has a better track record then peaceful protests in convincing governments to backtrack and change their policies. Perfect example is the poll tax riots vs Iraq War protests.

As someone said last night "When the police charged into Trafalgar Square on their horses to break up the riot, it was the beggining of the end for the poll tax". However when 1.5 million people marches through central London against the Iraq War, it was just a popular protest that the political elite just did not listen to.

Politicians and the establishment hate civil unrest and uncertainty in the population. If you riot and get on the front pages and provide international embarrassment after trashing the centre of the capital you are more likely to get your voice heard then if you send 20,000 people through the street every other week holding candles and placards.

Btw, this is not condoning everything that has happened, it is just the facts on modern day politics. My favourite highlight from yesterday was the protesters chanting "we came to get our money back" after breaking into the Treasury. It made me chuckle.

You put your life in someone else's hands when you resort to violent protest. Is this something most violent protesters think about before hand, and figure its worth it? I wonder.

[alex951]

I never understand why people riot, when people riot it turns many undecideds against their cause.

Remember the French revolution? caused a stir I would say

[Baron Von PWN]

So... UK residents - what's the deal? Why are tuitions being hiked? Are we talking Greece/Italy/Spain/Portugal here? Inquiring minds what to know.

Not a UK resident but I've been following the story through the Economist and the BBC. Basically the UK beget deficit is massive,(worse than the American deficit as a % of GDP I believe) So the government is undertaking some pretty serious austerity measures. Part of the involves cutting subsidies for University tuition this will mean Tuition costs will go up pretty severely (about triple I believe) this is after one of the coalition members promised not to increase tuition. Hence student riots.