Three Police Injured In Student Clashes
Three police officers have been injured, one seriously, as violence breaks out among protesters marching on Westminster over plans to treble university fees. Skip related content
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One police officer is in hospital with serious neck injuries, and a mounted officer has suffered leg injuries after being thrown off his horse as the clashes in central London escalate.
Some of the protesters have been breaking down metal barriers around Parliament Square and surging onto the green towards Whitehall.A handful have been seen climbing onto a statue of Winston Churchill and daubing it with graffiti.
Flares, paint bombs, snooker balls and other missiles are being thrown towards police.
Sky's Tom Parmenter, at the scene, said: "We've got scenes of serious disorder, a real dangerous volatile situation.
"All around me there is very widespread disorder, a lot of paint missiles being chucked from the crowds.
"There's an awful lot of tension, a lot of anger in the air.
"Police are certainly battling to keep a lid on all this, but it is very difficult for them."
Police reinforcements are arriving and officers are now attempting to contain protesters inside Parliament Square.
At one stage, police horses were seen "charging" into crowds of protesters, Tom Parmenter said.
So far, seven people have been arrested and medics are treating six for injuries.
Sky's Mark White, at the scene, said there are fears there could be a "real security breach" if protesters get any closer to Parliament "with students running wild inside the Houses of Parliament".
Demonstrators are angry at coalition proposals - being debated now in Parliament - that could see students being forced to pay up to £9,000 per year.
The word "No" has been daubed in large letters with red paint on the grass in Parliament Square.
Former Met Police public order officer Graham Wettone told Sky News: "It's just one small minority on this corner of Parliament Square who want to turn this into a violent confrontation with the police.
"You have almost got two distinct protests going on which becomes difficult to manage."
He added: "I think it's a shame for the students who want to come down and influence the vote in Parliament."
Today's march in the capital began at University London Union, in Malet Street, at 12pm.
Demonstrators have been streaming through Russell Square, Holborn, Kingsway, Aldwych, Strand, Trafalgar Square, Admirals Arch, Horse Guards Road, Great George Street into Parliament Square hoping to get to Whitehall.
From there, the crowds have been dispersed along Victoria Embankment.
Just before 2pm, a smoke bomb or flare was thrown over the lines of police vans and filled the air with red smoke near the Carriage Gates entrance to Parliament.
Officials, activists and members of some of the country's biggest trade unions were expected to join the march.
Trade union banners are evident among the crowd including Unison, the Rail Maritime and Transport (RMT) union and the Public and Commercial Services union.
Other protests against the proposals are also set to take place across the country.
Ahead of the vote, Prime Minister David Cameron insisted increasing tuition fees would widen access to university.
They will also create incentives to improve the quality of courses and leave the poorest graduates better off than under the existing system, the Conservative Party leader said.
He has rejected critics' claims the Government is simply seeking to save money by removing state subsidies and heaping the burden of university funding on to students' shoulders.
But the University and College Union's Sally Hunt said: "The introduction of a market in our universities will lead to students making their choice of degree based on its price.
"That might not be an issue for the millionaires in the Cabinet but it will be for tens of thousands of students and their hardworking families."
Business Secretary Vince Cable has announced further concessions aimed at easing the financial burden on poor students in a fresh bid to win over critics.
They include increasing the number of part-time students who would no longer face upfront tuition fees.
The move followed Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg's announcement on Tuesday night that all his ministers would vote in favour of the fee increases.
But many Lib Dem backbenchers are still determined to oppose the plans rather than merely abstain as permitted under the coalition agreement.
Several Tory MPs, including former shadow home secretary David Davis, are also likely to vote against, although the size of the Government's majority means the measures should still make it through.
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