A former Kent 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.”

Pictures by Kim Conway.