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BBC MUNDO RADIO
By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 9:48 PM on 9th December 2010
- Prince's limo paintballed on way to Palladium
- 20,000 students and activists lay siege to Westminster
- Protesters throw flares, smoke bombs and snooker balls
- Scotland Yard resort to 'kettling' in Parliament Square
- At least 22 arrests, including two for arson and four for burglary
- Fees increase is carried by 323 votes to 302 - majority of 21
This was the terrifying moment that a mob of anarchists attacked Prince Charles and Camilla's car outside the London Palladium tonight.
The couple were due to attend the Royal Variety Performance, which was taking place very close to the epicentre of a day of violent protest in Parliament Square, when it was swarmed by people supposedly protesting against the rise in student tuition fees.
Protesters had thrown paintbombs at police throughout a day of protests and the burgundy 1977 Rolls Royce Phantom VI was hit by an explosion of white paint on Prince Charles's side of the car. A window was smashed, two rear panels were dented and the aerial was broken.
Clarence House said that the couple were unharmed in the incident on Regent Street, but onlookers said Camilla looked extremely shaken after the attack.
The Prime Minister, David Cameron, described the attack as 'shocking and regrettable.'
Frightened: Prince Charles and Camilla show their fear inside the car as it is attacked by the mob
One protester who witnessed the attack said: 'We were headed up towards Regent Street and there didn't seem to be a lot of police about and people were throwing things at shops.
'Then out of nowhere came this car and when you looked into it you could clearly see Prince Charles and Camilla inside it looking incredibly confused.
'We all stood there for a millisecond in stunned silence and then people started lunging towards the car from all sides. It all happened very quickly.'
Despite the attack, Charles and Camilla were said to look calm as they arrived at the venue for tonight's Royal Variety Performance and the couple did not appear to have been delayed.
The car in which they were attacked was the one that Charles and Camilla drove from their wedding in Windsor in the summer or 2005. It was loaned to Charles by The Queen who had been given it as a gift by the carmaker at her silver jubilee.
Criminal damage: A protester throws a brick at the window of the Treasury building
Entry: Demonstrators go through the doors of the HM Treasury building after breaking in
It was the latest in a series of shocking incidents on a day of widespread civil disturbances.
At least nine police officers were seriously injured as mask-wearing anarchists hijacked the final tuition fees protest and turned yet another peaceful demonstration into chaos.
Around 20,000 students and activists descended on central London as the demonstrations of recent weeks culminated in a final show of anger at the hike and the Liberal Democrat U-turn.
At least 22 arrests were made, including nine for violent disorder, two for arson and four for burglary.
As the night wore on, police contained hundreds of people on Westminster Bridge as they prepared to release them from the 'kettling' cordon.
Shortly before 6pm the policy to increase the fees cap to £9,000 was carried by 323 votes to 302 - a majority of 21.
The vote did nothing to quell the day-long unrest.
Blaze: A security hut burning as protesters look on outside the Houses of Parliament tonight
Running battle: Stand-offs took place on either side of metal barriers in Westminster
Stones used: Protesters smashed at the windows of the Treasury building as they attempted to enter
Lit up: Riot police come under attack from flares as they clash with protesters
Shortly after, two people were filmed smashing away at the reinforced glass windows of the Treasury building with broken breeze blocks as they tried to enter.
When protesters broke through windows and doors a line of police officers formed a new barrier with their riot shields to prevent them from entering.
The mob then moved onto the Supreme Court where a window was smashed and graffiti was sprayed on the doors.
Police officers stood shoulder to shoulder to protect the building from protesters.
Another premises targeted was the Topshop store on Oxford Street where graffiti was sprayed, seemingly aimed at Sir Philip Green who owns the company, which included the words, 'Tax dodgers pay your tax.'
Mounting such tight police lines to protect the properties took its toll on the officers throughout the day, resulting in many injuries.
A Met spokesman said: 'Nine officers have been seriously injured, we have reports of suspected broken wrists and leg and neck injuries.
'Extreme violence currently being directed towards officers is hindering attempts to allow non-violent protesters to leave the containment area.'
Bird's eye view: A police helicopter shines its light one protesters in Parliament Square
Smoke: Riot police deal with a hail of flares thrown by protesters
On fire: The statue of Viscount Palmerston was set alight and, right, students make their feelings known at the statue of Churchill
The disturbances took place around thousands of Christmas shoppers and The Met added that protesters set fire to the Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square.
The Met Police Commissioner, Sir Paul Stepenson, condemned the violent element of the protests, and also dismissed criticism of the 'kettling' tactic as an excuse.
'It's utter nonsense. People watching will condemn what has happened today. It is an excuse that people are hiding behind.'
'We want people to protest peacefully on the streets of London if that is what they want to do but the behaviour today was wholly unacceptable and we will carry out a very detailed investigation to identify those responsible'
Protests took place throughout the day in the lead up to the vote.
Three officers were wounded and had to be taken to hospital after clashes when a hardcore group of protesters repeatedly tried to break through police lines outside the Houses of Parliament earlier in the day.
Footage showed one policeman lying motionless on the ground. Medics fitted him with a neck brace and used a makeshift stretcher to remove him.
One mounted officer was knocked from his horse as missiles including flares, sticks, snooker balls and smoke bombs were hurled from the crowds across the cordon.
Unseated: A police rider lies on the ground after he was pulled off his horse by protesters
Dragged to safety: A police officer is helped by a medic during the protests
Rescue: Police officers listen for a heartbeat on an injured protester
Motionless: A police officer injured in the protests is helped by medics
As MPs prepared to vote on the controversial fee rise earlier, Scotland Yard resorted to 'kettling' the demonstrators in Parliament Square in a bid to contain the violence.
A student was spotted urinating on the Winston Churchill statue, wooden benches were set alight and the grass was covered with a huge 'No' in bright red graffiti.
Protesters were forced to run back into the Square after mounted police charged at the crowds in a desperate bid to stop the surge. Seven have been arrested so far.
Teenager Sophie Down said: 'The police were backing off and we were trying to work it what was happening and we didn't know what was going on, then they all just started charging.
'I'm worried about my friends. I saw a guy who was sitting on the ground and I could see something was wrong with him.
'Everyone was in a good mood - it was like a carnival - but there are people who are clearly looking for a fight.'
Elsewhere, as protesters fanned out through Whitehall, a female student was caught climbing up the Cenotaph - the monument to Britain's war dead - using the Union flag flying there.
Landmarks: Police and protesters clash violently outside the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben
No respect: A protester swinging from the Union flag flying on the Cenotaph
Bloodied: Police medics carry away an injured protester
Vast crowds of protesters surged in to Parliament Square at around 2pm, trampling security barriers to get closer to the House of Commons and violence soon flared.
Police reinforcements had to be rushed in to bolster the ring of steel, with officers donning riot helmets and shields to protect themselves
They battled to keep the cordon in place to avoid any invasion of Parliament, as happened during the pro-hunting demonstration in 2004.
No trains were stopping at Westminster underground station tonight to avoid more people joining the crowds.
More...
- Cameron turns PMQs into Pop Idol with debate over The Smiths
- STEPHEN GLOVER: Coalition will be punished for broken promises
- Tuition fees vote scrapes through after MPs lambast Cable with cries of 'shame' and 'hypocrisy'
- Coalition Government claims narrow win as tuition fees votes scrape through with slim majority
- QUENTIN LETTS: The Coalition survives the siege of Troy as tuition fees votes are passed
The policy to increase the fees from £3,290 to £9,000 was carried by 323 votes to 302 - a majority of 21.
Early estimates suggested that nine or ten Conservatives had voted against the policy and that 20 or 21 of the 57 Lib Dems in the Coalition had voted down the policy, rather than abstaining.
A Tory and two Lib Dem private secretaries quit tonight before the vote.
Nick Clegg had this morning branded opponents of the plans 'dreamers' and denied he was ashamed of backing the rise, insisting he had to deal with 'the way the world is'.
Business Secretary Vince Cable, who opened this afternoon's debate in the Commons, also warned that he could not hand out popular policies like Father Christmas.
Cordon: Police in riot gear after they were paint bombed by protesters
Anger: Student protesters gathered for a march on Parliament against tuition fees
Widespread: Protesters gathered around the statue of Churchill where, earlier in the day, a student urinated
Flames: Two demonstrators jump from the top of a bonfire in Parliament Square
But they were not backed by several senior figures in their own party and Deputy leader Simon Hughes was among those who abstained, in what was a very narrow victory for the Government.
Mr Hughes insisted this morning that the move to increase the tuition fees ceiling to £9,000-a-year could discourage poorer students from pursuing higher education.
'I have decided that I won't be able to support the Government on the fees level, particularly because I believe that for a constituency like mine, the level of fee increase... may have a significant disincentive effect on youngsters going to university,' he said.
There will be a single vote on the proposed increase after none of the possible amendments were selected - a situation that will help the Government.
The coalition's majority was enough to pass the vote but it risks inflicting long-term damage if the rebels coalesce into a disaffected faction and voters fail to forgive their U-turn.
Some claim it could become the party's Iraq war or poll tax and dog them when it comes to the next election.
Difficult: Business Secretary Vince Cable opening today's debate, flanked by Nick Clegg and David Cameron
Crowds of protesters swarm around the statute of Winston Churchill in Parliament Square
Demonstrators and police officers are surrounded by red smoke in Parliament Square
Early on in the debate, protesters had to be removed from the Commons public gallery after they stood up, waved and shouted.
Around five protesters were strong-armed out of the chamber by doorkeepers, as much of the rest of the public gallery burst into applause.
Most MPs were oblivious to the happenings above them as the gallery's reinforced glass screen blocked out the sound.
More than a dozen Lib Dems in total, including former leaders Charles Kennedy and Sir Menzies Campbell, are expected to vote against the plans.
Senior Tories concede that between 10 and 16 of their number will either vote against or abstain, despite personal pleas to some rebels by David Cameron.
The Prime Minister launched a make-or-break bid to save the plans to treble fees last night, claiming the reforms will end a system that favours privately-educated pupils like him.
Deputy PM Mr Clegg today denied he would feel 'ashamed' when he voted for the plans after signing a pre-election pledge to scrap fees altogether.
'I would feel ashamed if I didn't deal with the way that the world is, not simply dream of the way the world I would like it to be,' he said.
'In the circumstances in which we face, where there isn't very much money around, where many millions of other people are being asked to make sacrifices, where many young people in the future want to go to university - we have to find the solution for all of that.
'I believe that asking graduates to make a contribution - and only make a contribution after they have left university, no upfront fees whatsoever, and only when they have earned a considerably more amount of money than they do under the present system - that is the best possible choice we could have taken.'
Restrained: Police covered in paint pin down a demonstrator
Clashes: Police officers scuffling with demonstrators in Westminster
Mr Cable insisted he was 'proud' of the proposals but admitted 'it's not easy politically'. 'In government we have to make tough choices. We've made them and I think we've produced a better system,' he said.
'We accepted when we entered into the coalition agreement that some of our commitments could be maintained, others could not,' he told the BBC. 'We have had to compromise and the coalition agreement was a compromise.
'It made a commitment to produce a fairer, more progressive system of student tuition fees - we've done that. And it did provide for my colleagues who wish to abstain to do so.'
The Government felt confident enough of victory not to bring back Energy Secretary Chris Huhne from climate change talks in Mexico to bolster the 'yes' vote.
But Labour leader Ed Miliband tried to stir dissent in Lib Dem ranks, by branding it a 'day of judgment' for the party.
D-day: David Cameron leaving Downing Street this morning
'Today it looks like many Lib Dems will break that promise. To abstain in this vote will simply allow the Government to increase tuition fees. I am calling on all MPs - including Lib Dems - to vote against this increase,' he said.
Labour were pushing for a longer debate in the hope that more Lib Dems will revolt if it is drawn out.
Dr Cable yesterday issued three more concessions to try and ease jitters on the backbenches.
The salary threshold at which graduates start to repay fees will be reassessed each year in line with earnings from 2016 - not just every five years, as had been planned.
The existing £15,000 minimum earnings repayment level will also be linked to inflation from 2012, and part-time students will be able to qualify for student loans if they study for a quarter of the year, rather than having to study for a third as planned.
It has emerged that student leaders proposed £4.2billion in cuts over four years to support for poorer undergraduates, teching funds and research grants in a bid to avoid higher fees.
They e-mailed Dr Cable in October when he was drawing up his response to the Browne report on higher education funding, arguing funding cuts could avoid the need for a fee rise.
A coalition source said it was 'astonishing' that the NUS was opposing the increase when its leaders were ready to contemplate 'drastic' cuts in grants for existing students.
Blue line: Police officers standing across the Mall in front of Buckingham Palace this afternoon
Demonstrators confronting police officers outside the Houses of Parliament
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