Day X2: Early kettle for Leeds Students

A march of around 300 students starting out from Leeds University to the town hall, convened in protest at proposed increases in tuition fees and cuts to the education budget, was kettled by police shortly after departure at 11.00am this morning.

The march has been planned as part of Day X2, a nationwide series of demonstrations against changes to the education system which many see as disadvantaging poorer students whilst allowing those from rich backgrounds to attend courses of higher education more easily. The protests follow on from the initial wave of demonstrations on November 10th 2010 which saw the Tory HQ at Millbank occupied, and the first Day X on November 24th which saw protests sweeping across the nation.

Now with the official backing of the Students Union after much criticism, a new round of nationwide protests was called for today, November 30th 2010, under the banner Day X2.

At Leeds, students planned to march peacefully from the University to the Town Hall and back again for a rally, but the march has been kettled in by police soon after gathering at 11.00am. An IMC contributor at the scene commented "it seems to be possible to pass in and out of the kettle as an individual, but they are not letting groups out"

"The stewards of the march arent helping as they seem to be sheparding people into the kettle. We had hoped to march to the town hall and back but now I'm not so sure we are going to be able to do that"

It is unclear at present whether the police intend to allow those taking part in the demonstration to reach it's publicised destination and exercise their legal right to demonstrate.

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