As student protesters trashed police vans and caused chaos in the capital, youngsters from Basingstoke took a more civilised approach.
Teenagers from Queen Mary's College rallied together for a one hour sit-in protest in the school hall on November 24.
Up to 50 students were demonstrating against Government plans to hike up higher education tuition fees.
The protest saw enthusiastic students waving DIY placards against the Government – a far cry from scenes in London where militant protesters repeated the violence of two weeks before.
QMC Student Union member, Dale Stenson, 17, said: “People know that the last protests was hijacked by a violent few. Sadly our message was lost the next day.
“But staging a smaller sit in, along with others across the country should show people that students are still against the Government plans.”
The spate of protests comes in reaction to Government ministers announcing plans to allow universities in England to charge tuition fees of up to £9,000 per year.
President of the QMC student union, 17-year-old Sol Hallam, said: “The Government say that students will not be affected as they pay back debt when they earn.
“Still, students are leaving education with tens of thousands of pounds hanging over their head. It will put people off, and the country will lose graduates.”
Some protesters at the college hoping to go to university next year will not be affected by plans, but said it was their duty to challenge the hike.
Mr Stenson said: “We are protesting because we have to. We are all students. When one is discriminated against then all students are.”
In a second bid to have their opinion heard more than 350 pupils added their names to a petition sent to MP Maria Miller two days earlier.
They appealed to the Basingstoke MP to vote against fee proposals going through Parliament.
Mr Hallam said: “Some times principles are more important than toeing the party line and she should fulfil her duty to represent us by voting against plans when they go through.
