General Chat

Anyone else watching it all unfold ?

I stand by those peaceful protesters, but shame on those who are wilfully causing trouble, wrecking property & hurling concrete & fire hydrants from the roof.
I have seen some of these yobs laughing & smiling as they wreck havoc.

They give all the good kids a bad name :o((

The yobs probably aren't even students, just the usual rent an anarchist.

and the ones kicking the windows out had thier faces covered!!!

What a carry on!!

Island is probably right.

I fail to see why they wouldn't be students, students do cause trouble the same as anyone else.

OH Foggy ............please dont indicate that "our" children would ever do anything like that!

I'm not saying all students are squeaky clean Foggy but there is usually a certain yob element that shows up at demos.

LOL@ Kemp, they're all somebodys babies.

Hi Kem,

I bet you have been up by Reading uni and seen some of the antics the students get up to....lol
They are no different to any other person.

Island,

Students can be yobs as well,
I just wish we would all stop kidding ourselves that students are all wonderful well behaved people.
When i look back at some of the antics I and some of my fellow students used to get up to......I am now embarrassed now.

Foggy, where did I say students are all wonderful well behaved people?

I'm glad you're embarrassed by your own bad behaviour but don't judge others by your own!

Island,
I don't, its just the statement that the ones causing all the damage were yobs, not students.

I was far from saintly, but was never a vandal like some of the students today are.

It is only a small minority that have gone with the intent to cause damage, the original march went off peacefully, and SU leader has condemned the actions saying it undermines their case.

But watching Nick Clegg's past assertions that he would not support , and would campaign against, any rise in fees, I am not surprised that the students feel a sense of betrayal...the LibDems have not kept their word, but more than that have broken it to gain power...it is my opinion that it will finish them as a party when the next election comes around. If things work out the Conservatives will take the credit, if the country's a mess the LibDems will carry the can for it.

Rose, I also think the same, but politicians are well know for breaking their promises.

I remember when I was a primary school pupil in 1968 - remember the student riots of 1968 anybody? - my father saying that if I ever went to Essex University then he wouldn't support me: I would have to live on my grant.

Those were the days.

I'm sure that the NUS president is an ambitious guy, who has his CV at the forefront of his mind. Of course he wanted it to go off peacefully.

I am the very last person who would wish to see any violent protest but I'm afraid todays events are but a foretaste of whats in store for us.

There are an awful lot of angry people out there embittered by this shambolic governments policies.They are led by a silver spoon axis of Cameron/Clegg/Osbourne,people who have absolutely no experience of ordinary life.

Regards
William Russell Jones.

I agree, violence doesn't resolve peoples grievances. But dont forget these young people, when they finish their education. Are the next generation of consumers, earning & putting their money into the economy. But unlike our generation, they'll be burdened with a huge debt from the very start employment. So a proportion of that income that would otherwise contribute to the national GDP, is being used to pay off that debt......In other words a tax.

As for the LibDems, yep they did promise to abolish student fees. But as the old saying goes.............Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely.

I suppose its a case then of;Don't blame us were only the government!

Regards
William Russell Jones.

In reply to the comment about studying lectures do not take place Mon - Fri 9am - 4.30pm. I have about 15 hours of lectures pw, yes I have work to do outside of those lectures but when I do it is up to me so long as it gets done.

While not condoning the violence by the small minority of students bad behaviour is not a new thing. Foggy, himself, said in one of his posts that he did things he is now ashamed of. The same will probably be said by these students when they get older.

Btw please don't insult animals, I can't see animals going round beating people up/smashing things up.

I can understand that the students feel totally let down by the government, and their futures' threatened.
These people are our future.
It doesnt excuse violence or destruction though, and they should be made to take the consequences of their actions.
Sue