Beauty is Beauty, Drunk or Sober.: November 2010

Here are some of my photographs from the second student protest against the rises in university fees proposed by the coalition government.
The day started out pretty normal for me, just going to school and had decided not to walk out because I had already been off school the day before to go to a Mario Sorrenti photoshoot (model Kate Moss watch this space for a post on that). It was a mufty day so school felt pretty relaxed and with a supply teacher in maths a few of us decided to print out some signs to stick around school as our own mini protest. By break basically the whole school had gotten hold of some and we found ourselves marching towards the gate.

A few people managed to get past the teachers guarding it and made a swift escape to Trafalgar Square just in time. Unfortunatley, I got stuck at the back of the queue so decided to make the trip during lunchtime when I'm allowed to leave site.
Set off at around 1 o clock with two friends with my mum totally behind the cause and not too bothered about Mr Graham's reaction. Got to Trafalguar suprised to see noone there so we walked down and soon began hearing the hum of a crowd.

First people we see are a couple of year tens from our school telling us to turn back because they had just been bludgened by a police baton which got me and Fran pretty angry and more in the mood to say our piece.

The police had already started kettling in one side so we walked around to the Westminister end where we met some others and started chanting on the edge of the action. We did catch a bit of that (clearly planted) police van being vandalised but the general buzz and sound of a pretty loud boombox playing dubstep made a few of us want to go in so we crept round the side (maybe not the best decision I've ever made but i dont regret it at all!) So then the proper kettling begins with a strong flourescent police line (with baby blue hats to appear "less threatening") slowly pushing us all into a smaller space.

So thats where the begging begins from basically everyone on the edge. "Please let me go" was followed by a stern "No" and even "I'm Pregnant" was met by "Well why are you here then". After a while we gave up and went to sit by a tiny fire surrounded by hundreds of freezing protesters of all ages and walks of life.

We chanted and got chatting to a few people making films and magazines and met up with a few friends and started our own little fire with some school books and a lighter to keep warm. We kept our signs up which attracted a lot of attention from Sky News and lots of photographers documenting the more civilised side of the protest. Mine said "Nick Clegg putting the 'N' in Cuts".

A few law students came round and told us what our rights were in this situation "Police have no right to touch, question or search you as you leave tonight". It had been about 4 hours by this point and it was generally quite nice except for being freezing, desprate for the toilet and ravenous.

We were told we were being let out so we headed for the exit where they told us only school children will be let out....in school uniform. Luckily i managed to persuade the police that my mufty day story was the truth and they let me through but I was the last for a good couple of hours.

When I got home I decided to check out the news and see what they were saying and as usual everything was "hooded youths" "violent gangs" and "they don't know why they are here" a complete contrast to what I had seen! What I saw was a tiny minority of idiots just along for the ride and thousands of students who have done their research and are standing up for their rights being mistreated by the Met as seen here in this article by the Guardian.