PR Writing
National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
11/11/11
Contact: Kurt Spurlock
404.792.3152
Students Protest Fees, Police Protest Students
KENNESAW, Ga—Students, supporters, and other demonstrators took to the streets of London on Wednesday in protest of tuition fees and what is being called the “privatization” of the higher education system.
The crowd of an estimated 10,000 was immediately met with an army of 4,000 metropolitan police in a maneuver police officials reffered to as “total policing”. Officers engaged in crowd control tactics while several police commanders set up 10 foot tall barricades to block off large areas of the capitol.
Police officials also stated that pre-demonstration measures were taken to ensure crowd compliance by sending hundreds of letters to known anti-cut activists warning of the consequences of attending the student demonstration, and also by warning attendees that officers would be firing “baton rounds of plastic bullets” in the case of an “extreme” situation.
Demonstrators also reported that “additional conditions” were announced two hours into the march such as the prohibiting of protestors from entering seven different areas of the city and stating that anyone who disobeyed would be “committing an offence and may be liable to arrest.”
After restricting the route of the protester’s march, police took positions at the front of the marching crowd to keep particants grouped together throughout the three mile stretch. Plainclothes officers were also seen among the marching crowd, making “snatch” arrests of various individuals.
At the end of the demonstration, the crowd was released into the Moorgate area in downtown London. Shortly thereafter, police issued a dispersal order to begin promptly at 5:41p.m. or face legal action. Demonstrators had vacated the area entirely by 6 p.m.
Even with this police involvement, the protest was predominantly peaceful. Of the crowd of several thousand, only 24 arrests were made, and aggression toward police officials was minimal.
The Occupy London movement attempted to collaborate to the tuition movement by staging a simultaneous “occupy style” sit in in London’s Trafalgar Square. This group of 50 protesters brought out 30 “pop-up” style tents, and reportedly intending on staying until the mass strike scheduled for November 30. All 50 protesters refused to leave when confronted by police, and were promptly arrested for “contravening the Public Order Act” according to police officials.
There was, however, a light at the end of the tunnel for protesters when they were given a surprise musical set by supporter and Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello, who was quoted as saying he wanted to express his solidarity with the “99%”.
The National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts is a non-profit organization dedicated to the furthering of higher education and the opposition of tuition increases in the name of profiteering. For more information on how you can get involved, visit www.NCAFC.org.
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Kurt Spurlock
News Story
Student Protestors Met with Police Opposition in London
KENNESAW,Ga-- Thousands of student protesters and their supporters took to the streets of London on Wednesday in opposition to tuition fees and the "privatization of higher education."
The protest of a reported 10,000 individuals was heavily policed by a total of 4,000 metropolitan officers as well as several police commanders who set up 10ft tall barricades to block off areas of the capitol.
Police officials announced this method to be an example of "total policing", and believed such action to be necessary after last year's demonstration in which police were attacked and 153 arrests were made. Authoritative measures included officers in full riot gear as well as plainclothesmen who performed "snatch" arrests of certain individuals in the march.
Demonstrators complained of "intimidating" police tactics both before and during the demonstration. Police officials sent hundreds of letters to known anti-cut activists warning them of the consequences of attending the demonstration. Protesters were also told before the march that baton rounds of plastic bullets would be used if the demonstration became disorderly.
Two hours into the march, police announced to the crowd that "additional conditions" were being implemented, including the prohibiting of protestors from entering seven different areas of the city. Police said citizens who violated these conditions would be "committing an offense and may be liable to arrest."
After this announcement police took positions at the front of the march to direct the crowd. Demonstrators were led to the Moorgate area and released from supervision. Soon thereafter demonstrators were informed that a dispersal order would begin promptly at 5:41p.m. The area was reportedly clear of attendees by 6p.m.
After the protest was over, students were surprised by a gig my Rage Against the Machine Guitarist Tom Morello. Morello was quoted saying he was there to "express his solidarity with the 99%". He said "This is a worldwide class-based movement of people standing up against the oppression of corporate power. The lesson of the Arab spring is if you want change all you have to do is walk out of your front door and just do it."
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200 word online story
STUDENT PROTESTORS MET WITH POLICE OPPOSITION IN LONDON
KENNESAW,Ga-- Thousands of student protesters and their supporters took to the streets of London on Wednesday in opposition to tuition fees and the "privatization of higher education."
The protest had a reported turnout of around 10,000 individuals, as well as a police turnout of 4,000 metropolitan officers as well as several police commanders.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- 10ft tall barricades were set up around the city capitol
- Demonstrators complained of "intimidating" police tactics including threatening use of firing rubber bullets, and the mailing of hundreds of letters to known anti-cut activists warning them of the consequences of attending the demonstration
- Police took positions at the front of the march and led the crowd to the Moorgate area after announcing that protesters were prohibited from entering seven different areas of the city
- Only 24 arrests were made throughout the event, and aggression toward police was minimal.
- Although demonstrators felt they were over-policed, they were treated to a surprise musical performance by supporter Tom Morello, guitarist for Rage Against the Machine
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Kurt Spurlock
30 second radio read
AN ESTIMATED TEN-THOUSAND STUDENTS IN THE LONDON AREA TOOK TO THE STREETS WEDNESDAY IN PROTEST OF THE RISING FEES BEING ADDED TO TUITION FOR HIGHER EDUCATION. LONDON POLICE OFFICIALS RESPONDED TO THE PROTEST WITH A TASK FORCE OF FOUR-THOUSAND OFFICERS AND SEVERAL BARRICADES IN AN ATTEMPT TO KEEP THE MARCH ORDERLY AND WITHIN THE DESIGNATED PERIMETERS. ALTHOUGH SEVERAL DEMONSTRATORS COMPLAINED OF "INTIMIDATING" POLICE TACTICS, THE EVENT WAS PREDOMINANTLY PEACEFUL AND ONLY 24 ARRESTS WERE MADE. THE PROTEST ENDED BY EARLY EVENING WITH A SURPRISE SHOW FROM RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE GUITARIST TOM MORELLO.
