Friday, 12 November 2010

Esher College student suspended over part in London tuition fees protest

An Esher College student who joined tuition fee protestors on the roof of Tory HQ in London has been suspended by the school.

Olivia Wedderburn, 18, of Kingston Hill, was taking part in the demonstration on Wednesday, November 10, when she followed a splinter group who had broken the windows of Milbank Tower and occupied the building.

Miss Wedderburn said she had been in the courtyard when she saw a window to the building getting smashed and people entering.

She said she then joined after being encouraged by others and followed the crowd upstairs.

It is believed the trouble at the otherwise peaceful demonstration, attended by about 50,000 students, was started by a anarchist groups who hijacked the event.

Miss Wedderburn's father, Peter Wedderburn, 59, said his daughter had only entered the building because a crowd behind her had pushed her inside.

He said she left after a friend of hers started to have a panic attack.

Dan Dean, principal of Esher College, confirmed Miss Wedderburn had been suspended because she had taken the day off without permission.

He said the college "does not condone any behaviour which breaks the law". The demonstration was organised because tuition fees are set to rise from 2012, with a lower cap of £6,000 and the opportunity for universities to charge up to £9,000 – triple the current cap.

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