Police van attacked in student protests

Protesters attacked a police van today as crowds swelled during angry demonstrations against rising university tuition fees.

A group of young men leapt on to the roof, smashed the windscreen, daubed it with a slogan and hurled sticks at the vehicle which was parked in the middle of Whitehall, central London.

The mob surrounded the Metropolitan Police van close to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, where they pulled off wing mirrors and daubed it with graffiti.

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A handful of young women could be seen attempting to stop further damage as a man urinated on one front wheel.

There were reports that a police officer suffered a broken arm during the scuffles in Whitehall.

An estimated 10,000 students were on the streets of central London to protest against increased university tuition fees.

The demonstration followed a day of action two weeks ago that saw 60 arrested and dozens injured when a riot broke out at the Tory Party headquarters.

Police wanted to avoid a repeat of the chaos that ensued on November 10 when a splinter group attacked 30 Millbank.

They were caught out when the march, organised by the National Union of Students (NUS) and the University and College Union (UCU), turned violent.

Marches have been organised across England and Wales, with school and college students joining the action.

Cities including Birmingham and Manchester were holding rallies, with university workers protesting alongside students.

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