A former university lecturer sparked a row today after defending the yobs who hijacked a student demo and trashed Tory Party HQ.

Retired University of Kent law expert Ian Grigg-Spall claimed protesters were right to kick off over government plans for a hike in tuition fees - despite his own pupils condemning them.

Mr Grigg-Spall was quoted on the University of Kent's Centre for Journalism website warning the government "they’re not going to get away with it".

He said: “A few broken windows doesn’t equate with the violence on future students and the poor and vulnerable in our society by the government.

"You just can’t equate the two.”

Wednesday's violence caused £1million to Millbank Tower in central London after thugs stormed it. Fifty people were arrested.

More than 500 students and lecturers from the University of Kent joined the march through Westminster.

Mr Grigg-Spall, who was there, is the academic chair of the National Critical Lawyers Group.

He added: “Students have been said by lots of people they’re only interested in their own education, they’re only interested in their own selfish interests.

"This really shows them that students aren’t like that.

"That they are idealists and they do have a concern for the rest of the community.”

Speaking to KentOnline on Wednesday, student leader Lauren Crowley, vice president (education) at Kent Union, spoke of her horror at seeing the event hijacked.

She said: “After months and months of preparation from officers across the country, it was a real shame to see the headlines on the news and I’m genuinely stunned by what happened.

“Lots of the students who came with me were very upset by the actions of a few.

"It was billed and promoted as a peaceful protest and there was no sign at the start it would turn out like it did.

“It’s undermined so much of what we we’re trying to do. The government aren’t going to give into that kind of violence and extremism.

“The press coverage we had received up until the start of the march was enough to get our message across without needing to take it any further.”