Paul Brandon, Chair of Right to Work reports from London on today’s student march.

fees protestors sit down at parliament

London: 10,000 students and workers march against cuts and in solidarity with Egyptian people.

Students demonstrating against the abolition of EMA and increases in tuition fees were today joined by thousands of trade unionists in protest against the coalition government’s age of austerity. In a defiant twist the protesters carried on marching to the Egyptian embassy as an act of solidarity with the Egyptian people

10,000 protesters  marched past the agreed finish at Westminster  and headed first for Tory Party HQ at Millbank tower and then on to the protest outside the Egyptian embassy.

The demo started just after midday and wound its way through central london. Activists with the Right to Work Campaign banner led a breakaway at Aldwych to take the other side of the street. Thousands followed chanting ‘whose streets our streets!’

‘Tory Scum here we come’ and ‘London and Cairo unite and fight’ were heard loudest as the crowd marched down Whitehall and as flares were lit outside Downing street.

Flares lit outside Downing Street

At the agreed finish point there was a spontaneous sit down near to Parliament where the march chanted ‘we will win’ before heading to Millbank Tower. Still with many boarded windows from its previous trashing last November the crowd paid its respects with anti coalition chants.

The march weaved its way across the west end of the city and headed for one of the richest districts in the world, Mayfair and the location of the Egyptian embassy.

Here the crowd joined a separate protest in support of the uprising by the people of Egypt. Student leader Mark Bergfeld of the Education Activists Network addressed the crowd with a message of solidarity from British students to the Egyptian people. It was met with huge cheers and chants of freedom! freedom! freedom!

The march was an indication of how the student campaign is linking up with trade unionists to defend attacks and jobs, public services and the welfare state along with a recognition the struggle has an international dimension.

EAN organiser Mark Bergfeld speaking outside Egyptian Embassy

It all bodes well for an exciting  Peoples Convention on the 12 Feb. Details here.

There will be a workshop titled: Students – at the forefront of struggle Sponsored by National Campaign Against Cuts & Fees and Education Activists Network, the organisers of the London demonstration. Details here.