Police and protesters clash outside the Senate House

MORE than 500 students and sixth formers marched through Cambridge before occupying the lawn outside the University Senate House today, in protest over education cuts.

MORE than 500 students and sixth formers marched through Cambridge before occupying the lawn outside the University Senate House yesterday, in protest over education cuts.

As many as 150 protesters then charged the Senate House but were repelled by a police line.

The demonstration is the second in the city this month amid mounting anger at proposed education cuts and university tuition fee rises. Yesterday’s protest saw a large sixth-form contingent with students from Long Road Sixth Form College, Parkside Federation and Cambridge Regional College.

They were joined by lecturers and university students.

The protest was part of a nationwide day of action - Bristol, Manchester, Glasgow and London were among the cities which saw protests.

The crowd gathered outside Great St Mary’s Church before taking a route through the city and finishing on the grass by King’s Parade.

The demonstrators chanted: “Nick Clegg, shame on you. Shame on you for turning blue.”

They carried banners and placards with the slogans ‘Future not fees’ and ‘Extinguish tuition fees’ – a reference to the violence which broke out in London a fortnight ago during similar protests.

One protester climbed the scaffolding around the Senate House – her move sparking hundreds of others into action. They climbed the fence of the Senate House and occupied the lawn.

Ian Patterson is a senior lecturer at Queen’s College and director of studies in English. He joined the march.

“These cuts represent a potential change to the whole basis of education in this country,” he said.

“Until there is 100 per cent support, it is not enough.”

Students as young as 13 joined the march – the changes will affect them most.

A 13-year-old, who did not want to be named, said: “We’re here because we want to go to university and we cannot afford to pay £9,000 a year. We need our voices to be heard.”

Finlay Maclean, from Long Road Sixth Form College, led some of the chants. He said: “I’m here because 20 years ago education used to be free, and now we’re facing huge debts.”

After three hours inside the Senate House gates, the protesters made a collective decision to leave. The police opened the gates and they walked out.

One of the protesters announced over the megaphone they would march again on Saturday.

l Students also clashed with police in London where thousands marched through the centre in a second mass protest against tuition fees and university budget cuts.

A police van in Whitehall was vandalised with protesters climbing on the roof, smashing windows and covering it with graffiti and smashing the windows.

The Evening Standard reported the main flashpoint was the gateway to King Charles Street near the Foreign Office where several lines of riot police prevented students reaching Downing Street. One officer suffered a broken arm and another was led away after being hit in the face with a missile.

l The protests across the country led to the hashtag #dayx being top trending topic on Twitter.