Hardly Paris '66, but cuts stoke student flashpoint with police

Published on Thursday 2 June 2011 19:56

A STUDENT protest against cuts at Strathclyde University in Glasgow spiralled out of control when demonstrators clashed with police and security guards, resulting in two arrests.

The march started at the Strathclyde Union, with about 100 students protesting against plans to cut back on courses.

The trouble began when the rally reached the university's McCance Building and some protesters were seen trying to force their way in.

The office of principal Jim McDonald is in the building, and the students chanted: "Our principal has no principles."

Security guards were positioned around all buildings on campus and the students were unable to get in.

As police tried to move the students off the road and on to the pavement, the situation deteriorated. It resulted in a scuffle that intensified as the students tried to "kettle" the police.

It was claimed one of the protesters spat at an officer, who wrestled the student to the ground before detaining him in the back of a police van. A second man was also taken away in a police van.

The number of officers on the scene reached 18 as reinforcements were called in to try to defuse the situation.

• Cuts protesters stage Scotland Office sit-in

Among the protesters was Bryan Simpson, a student activist at the university and leading member of the Stop the War Coalition, who was a high-profile figure in the attack on the Tory headquarters in London during the large-scale protest against tuition fee hikes in January.

He was at the forefront of yesterday's protests, reading out a message of support sent to them by American academic and activist Noam Chomsky.

After the protest at the university, a group of some 40 students went on to Stewart Street police station where the two arrested men had been taken. They protested outside for several hours before dispersing without further incident.

The men, both aged 20, were later released and are expected to appear in court at a later date.

The rally was organised in protest at the university's plans to scrap two undergraduate degrees – the BA honours in community education and the BA arts and social sciences honours in geography and sociology.

University of Strathclyde Students' Association president Philip Whyte said the police reaction had been "disproportionate".

But Superintendent Nelson Telfer, the officer in charge of policing the demonstration, said officers had taken "proportionate measures". He said: "The demonstration was in the main peaceful. However, unfortunately, a number of people decided to hijack the event and caused minor disruption."

A university spokesman said Strathclyde was delivering high-quality education and internationally recognised research across a spectrum of disciplines.