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STUDENT PROTESTS: City students vent their fury on Clegg - PICTURES
THREE thousand students from schools, colleges and the city's two universities marched on Sheffield Town Hall in protest against Government education cuts.
One of the biggest demonstrations of its kind in years was in conjunction with action in towns and cities across the country.
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Police who closed all the main streets round the Town Hall to traffic said it was 'noisy but peaceful'.
Students marched from the Sheffield University concourse, joined by hundreds of sixth formers and students from further education colleges.
Speeches attacked plans to increase university tuition fees to as much as 9,000 a year, cut university funding and scrap cash allowances designed to help hard-up families keep their teenagers at school after the age of 16.
Sheffield University student union president Josh Forstenzer felt the protest was a huge success.
"The universities, the vast majority of colleges and many schools were all represented at the demonstration - I have never seen anything like it in Sheffield.
"It was good to see a lot of 16 and 17-year-olds making their voices heard. They are losing the Education Maintenance Allowance and will be directly affected by the changes to university funding.
"Spirits outside the Town Hall ran high. Young people showed that they really care about these issues and are very angry and upset. The increase in fees will see them paying a great deal more for a good deal less."
Anger was directed at Prime Minister David Cameron and Deputy PM and Sheffield Hallam MP Nick Clegg on what was nationally dubbed Day X.
Mark Bergfeld, of the Education Activist Network, which organised many protests nationwide, said attention in Sheffield would be directed towards the Right to Recall campaign.
Students would collect constituency signatures to hold Mr Clegg to account for failure to honour his pre-election pledge to oppose any increase in tuition fees.
"The people of Sheffield deserve MPs who keep their promises. We will be taking our campaign out of campuses and to the public. Mr Clegg campaigned directly for the student vote in Hallam by attacking plans to raise tuition fees and he is now reneging on that promise," he added.
Police Supt Martin Scothern said: "We're pleased the majority of people acted responsibly. We are grateful for the support and cooperation of the demonstration organisers in assisting a significant policing operation to manage large crowds and make sure the protests were conducted safely and peacefully.
"I am disappointed that large numbers of schoolchildren joined the demonstrations.
We are working with local education authorities to deal with truancy issues."
Pulp star Jarvis Cocker lent his support to a Royal College of Art students' union protest in Kensington, West London.
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Weather for Sheffield
Saturday 26 May 2012
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Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
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Temperature: 11 C to 21 C
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