London: Thousands of students on Wednesday protested against allowing market forces to drive higher education in Britain, prompting authorities to beef up security amid fears of violence.
A heavy police presence strictly controlled thousands of students protesting against market forces pushing higher education and increased tuition fees in universities from September 2012.
Nearly 4,000 police officers were posted on London streets, which was the first such police presence seen since the August riots.
Police sources said the number of student-protesters was around 2,000, while organisers put the figure at 10,000.
Scuffles broke out between students and policemen who were tightly controlling the movement of marching students organised under the National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts.
From September 2012, universities could charge fees as high as 9000 pounds per year for UK and EU students (international students from India and other non-EU students already pay the same level of fees).
Protesters carried placards which read "Scrap Tuition Fees" and "Free Education" and chanted "No ifs, no buts, no education cuts" and slogans criticising the police over rubber bullets.
"We are being told by a cabinet of millionaires that we will have to pay triple tuition fees," Campaign leader Michael Chessum said.
A police spokesman said that one of the tactics available was "the authority to deploy baton rounds (plastic bullets) in extreme circumstances".
Police and news helicopters hovered overhead as thousands of protesters set off from Malet Street in London's university district.
Similar protests last year had led to clashes that saw the ruling Conservative party's headquarters being attacked.
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