Thousands of students marched through London today in the latest display of anger against the Conservative-led government's austerity measures.
It is the biggest protest in London since the capital and other English cities suffered four days of rioting in August, the worst urban violence for decades.
Four similar protests by students late last year led to clashes with police, assaults on public buildings and the Conservative Party's headquarters, and almost 400 arrests. Several arrests were reported today for minor offences.
Police swamped the city today to keep a lid on any violence during the latest student fees march.
Protesters accused Scotland Yard of "ludicrous" tactics as officers appeared to outnumber protesters. But the strategy appeared to work.
An estimated quarter of the 10,000 expected demonstrators initially turned up after Scotland Yard announced 4,000 officers had been made available.
Large numbers of officers carrying riot helmets channelled protesters through the streets towards their rallying point in the city's financial district. Police in riot gear prevented demonstrators making their way towards St Paul's Cathedral where the Occupy London Stock Exchange group set up its camp. "We are trying to stop them getting down to St Paul's and causing mass chaos," one officer said.
Minor skirmishes broke out as officers made several arrests moving a group who set up camps in Trafalgar Square by pitching pop-up tents. There were also violent exchanges as anarchists threw items at police lines.
But many demonstrators were thought to have stayed away after chiefs warned that rubber bullets were available after major disturbances in November and December last year.
The students are angry at the government's education plans, which they argue amount to privatisation of the system, and last year's decision to hike university tuition fees and cut attendance payments for poorer teenagers.
The protests have also taken on a wider agenda to embrace opposition to reform of the welfare state, part of deep austerity measures to help cut a budget deficit which peaked at nearly 11 per cent of gross domestic product.
Rising taxes, high inflation and a stagnating economy have hit Britons' confidence and fuelled a sense of discontent with politicians and the financial sector.
As well as students, electricians and taxi drivers were staging protests today ahead of a planned nationwide one-day strike on November 30th by public sector workers.
Agencies