Students from the University of Cambridge clashed with police at Conservative Party headquarters in London, after a national demonstration against university funding cuts and fees turned violent on Wednesday.

Nearly 400 Cambridge students took part in the march through central London, which saw tens of thousands of students from around the country descending on the capital to demonstrate their anger at the government’s plans to increase tuition fees and cut university funding.

However the protest turned violent as protestors, including dozens of Cambridge students from Sidney Sussex, Trinity Hall and King’s, stormed the Tory headquarters at 30 Millbank, resulting in a standoff with police who attempted to clear the area by force, armed with batons.

The demonstration, which began as a peaceful march from Trafalgar Square and along Embankment on to a rallying point past Millbank, where speeches were to be held, was seemingly hijacked by a small wing of activists intent on making trouble.

One Cambridge student who took part in the Millbank occupation told Varsity, "As we approached Millbank, a row of socialists holding two banners stopped the crowd. People went round shouting to the crowd, pointing out to us that this was Conservative headquarters."

"Then a bunch of students in balaclavas and hoods ripped signs off their wooden posts and started smacking the glass with them. Someone broke through the glass and people were banging at the doors."

Office workers, who had looked on at the gathering crowds outside the building, were quickly evacuated once students began smashing windows with sticks and rocks.

A line of approximately 20 policemen formed to defend the building, but were unable to prevent the hundreds of students from surging forward into the foyer.

Protestors occupied the building for around an hour, during which time crowds of students gathered in the courtyard outside. Protestors smashed windows, waved anarchist flags and hurled eggs and bottles at the police, amidst chants of "Tory scum".

Demonstrators outside the building also set fire to placards and burned effigies of Nick Clegg and David Cameron, with one protestor shouting, "Nick Clegg, we know you, you’re a fucking Tory too."

A group of some 30 protestors, amongst whom were a number of students from Cambridge, climbed up onto the roof of the building and, waving flags, shouted encouragement to the crowds below.

One English student who made it onto the roof commented, "It was amazing, looking down and seeing this mass of people below. There was a massive cheer from the crowd when they saw us up there.

"Most of the people there, like me, were just normal students, not hardcore activists at all. I hadn’t expected the demonstration to turn out like that. There was such feeling and excitement; you just get caught up in it all."

A fire-extinguisher was thrown from the building, which missed hitting people standing below by inches. 14 people were taken to hospital as a result of injuries.

The Metropolitan Police, who deployed only 155 officers, have come under criticism for underestimating the numbers who would turn out for the march, and have admitted that they were unprepared for the violent turn it took.

The National Union of Students (NUS), who organised the protest, was quick to dissociate itself from the rioting and vandalism, which it maintains was not planned.

Speaking to BBC News, Aaron Porter, NUS President, said, "I absolutely condemn that a small minority of students and others who have gone off on this splinter demonstration."

Cambridge University Students’ Union (CUSU) which organised seven coaches to take students to join the march, was encouraged by the turn-out. CUSU President Rahul Mansigani commented: "There is a very strong feeling of frustration with the current government’s proposals. Tuition fees are being trebled in a cynical attempt to shift the burden of spending cuts onto students.

"Cambridge students have proved that they do care about access, and that the quality of their education is important to them.

"It is unfortunate that a small minority of students chose to cause disruption at Millbank: CUSU cannot condone violent protest.

"However, the message of the thousands who peacefully attended the demonstration must remain clear: we will accept nothing less than a well-funded, free and fair education system."

The violent actions of protestors have attracted both strong criticism and praise from Cambridge students.

Rob Mindell, NUS delegate for Cambridge and third-year law student, condemned the violence in harsh terms, stating, "Wednesday was an embarrassment for the student population of the United Kingdom. The outbreak of violence didn’t just overshadow yesterday’s demonstration but has hijacked the entire discussion on Higher Education Funding."

Juan Zober de Francisco, former King’s JCR President echoed his disappointment at the level of violence, commenting, "Violence may be an effective way of getting people to hear what you’re saying, but it detracts from the fundamental message. I am disappointed in anyone who believes that violence is the way that we should proceed to get this message heard."

However, others were less critical of those who had taken violent action.

Mark Reilly, a third-year student from Kings, told Varsity, "I don’t think that the message has got lost because of the violent aspects of the protest.

"While it has generated a lot of media focus, I think that that is largely to do with the fact that violent protest is unusual in this country. If this had happened in France, nobody would have blinked.

"But ultimately this was a manifestation of a feeling among students, an anger that goes beyond marching and hoping that people will listen.

"Democratic channels have been tried and have failed. A lot of students voted for the Lib Dems and they haven’t been listened to, now they are turning to other forms of direct action."

In the wake of Wednesday’s protest, a wave of direct-action protests across the country have been planned for November 24th.

Note: Some names in this article have been changed.