Student activists have announced that they will target Liberal Democrat headquarters in the same way the Conservative headquarters were last week, according to the Press Association.
The Education Activist Network has said that it will not rule out violence on the Liberal Democrats who have been accused of “betrayal” over university fees.
Protesters will build opposition to the decision to triple university fees, through nation wide walk outs, sit-ins and demonstrations on November 24.
Betrayal
Mark Burgel, member of the NUS national executive committee, was reported by the Press Association saying: “The Liberal Democrats stood on a platform of free education and millions of students voted for them. they now feel totally betrayed.
“People argue that you can change democracy at the ballot box. We’re going to show that we can change democracy through direct action.”
Radical students from the University of Sheffield will also meet today to decide if they will be joining the EAN in targetting the home and offices of Deputy Leader Nick Clegg.
They also believe he is guilty of betrayal after he originally signed a pledge opposing a rise in tuition fees during the local elections, The Independent reports.
Student Divisions
Student protesters remain divided as this announcement comes after Aaron Porter, president of the National Union of Students, declared a news tactic that would avoid violent infiltrations that are damaging to their fight.
Following the riots at Milbank last week, Porter told the BBC that he was planning a news strategy that “maintains high profile political pressure, whilst avoiding the pressure of by highjacked by violence.
The University College Union, who organised the demonstration with NUS, has condemned the violence which took place at Milbank.
However, many higher education lecturers, including Alan Whitacker from UCU, has signed a petition supporting those students involved in last week’s demonstration, according to The Independent.
A YouGov poll revealed that 65% of people asked had sympathy with the students demonstrating in last weeks protest.
However, 69% did believe that the violence had damaged the validity of the cause. To see a summary of these results go to: http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/blog/archives/2874
Bergel, 23, added: “The Tories and Lib Dems want to create an education system for the few and the privileged and we’re going to fight,” he said. “We are targeting the Lib Dems in particular for their lies. I think we have the right to target Lib Dems up and down the country, occupy their offices and call on them to join our fight. Ultimately, we want to split the Government.”
The Independent has also announced that security at the coalition party’s headquarters will be stepped up as student activists announced their new target.
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- Students set to target Lib Dem HQ (mirror.co.uk)
