Prime Minister David Cameron has criticized the police for failing to protect the Conservative headquarters and also for underestimating the strength of a student protest which turned into a riot. It was a protest against student fees, organized by the National Union of Students and the University and College Union, which started peacefully. About 50,000 students, lecturers and supporters (the police expected 5,000 people) were marching from Whitehall past Downing Street and Parliament. Around an hour after the demonstration started, the protesters started to use more violence at Millbank Tower. In the violence, ten people, including three police officers, were injured. Senior officers admitted they made a mistake. According to Met Police Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson, the force should have anticipated the level of violence “better”. He said it is an embarrassment for London and for the police.
Reaction on article |
| Windows were smashed in the office block of Millbank |
I understand the anger and the protest of the students. If they don’t do anything, less students will go to college or university, because it will be too expensive to pay to study. I think the whole protest got out of hand by using violence, which was not necessary according to me. I agree with David Cameron that the police failed by expecting just 5,000 people. That’s why there wasn’t enough riot police. I also agree with Peter Smyth, chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, who said that police officers must be supported when dealing with such unprovoked violence.
I think the police made a major mistake by anticipating only 5000 instead of 50.000. I also think they should be embarrassed about this because this mistake only shows how big a gap there is between the citizens and the government. Even I would have made a better estimation.
BeantwoordenVerwijderenIt is a mayor difference if they expected 5,000 students and discovered it were 50,000 students and so here you see how strong students are and come up for themselves and each other.
BeantwoordenVerwijderen@ Ibrahim el hassan: How could you make a better estimation if you say the gap between citizens and the government is big?
I agree with Esther, violence was not necessary in this protest. The students were right by protesting about this. If they do not do anything they will have to pay more to go to school. About the estimation of the students, police are people, so they can also make mistakes.
BeantwoordenVerwijderen