To think students should be able to peacefully protest without being gassed?

[PerpetualStudent]

I don't think it outs me to say I'm a student at the University of Warwick.

I wasn't on campus today, but have been hearing about and seeing videos of seemingly violent and unprovoked police attacks on students holding a protest for free education. You can read about it and see a clip here www.theguardian.com/education/2014/dec/03/warwick-university-students-police-tuition-fee-protest

The university's official line is that the police were called in response to a reported assault, but this doesn't seem to have been corroborated or discussed in any further detail.

AIBU to think that even if a potential assault was involved, the videoed attack on students is indiscriminate and over-zealous?

At the risk of getting into histrionics, would you be happy knowing police would willingly act this way on a site were people as young as 18 (even 17 if from Scotland) are working and living?

I'm not a die-hard protester by any means, but I'm asking as I'm pretty shocked by what I've seen and heard today - wanted to canvass opinion and spread the word...

[PerpetualStudent]

Sorry, forgot to mention the 'gassed' reference in the title is due to the use of CS (tear gas) spray by police (as far as I can tell indoors and close range, directly into the faces of protesters )

[theeternalstudent]

It does seem like excessive force from that one police officer. I can imagine it would be quite scary being involved in something like that.