Thousands marched on Warwick University yesterday in protest against “disproportionate and unprovoked” police violence at the previous day’s free education sit-in. 

Students and lecturers — as well as outside supporters — came to show their indignation at the police presence on campus which ended with teenagers being Tasered, teargassed, assaulted and arrested.

One of those hit by CS gas during Wednesday’s protest Craig McVey said: “It just came out of nowhere.”

The sociology postgraduate explained that when the police showed up “we stood up and huddled together. Some people linked arms because it was assumed that the police were there to remove people.”

“Instead (West Midlands Police) seemed to target one or two people.” 

“They didn’t say anything, they just sort of waded through the crowd, shoving people aside, throwing people around.” 

Footage of the attack on the peaceful sit-in quickly spread online with hundreds of thousands scalding police and university management on social media. 

In less than 24 hours over 1,000 Warwick alumni and former staff had signed a petition demanding an apology from the university.

Warwick For Free Education spokesman Calum Cant echoed the sentiment, saying: “We are all disgusted at this heavy-handed use of the police and ask the university to publicly condemn such an attack on its students.”

The faculty’s University College Union branch also released a statement demanding that the university respect “democratic values and the rights of students and staff to protest.

“The university is our common space and we protest in the strongest terms against the violations that were allowed to take place here yesterday.”

As the Star went to press students had taken over Warwick University’s conference centre and were meeting to decide whether to occupy it.