Millbank tendency: protest events and mediating ‘moments of excess’ in the UK student movement

Following years of declining participation in mass protests, the November 2010 demonstration in London against increased tuition fees marked the sudden and emphatic revitalisation of student activism in the UK. Organised by the National Union of Students (NUS), the demonstration attracted the participation of around 52,000 students, with over 100 universities represented. Events escalated when a small group of students broke off from the main march to attack the Conservative Party’s campaign headquarters at 30 Millbank, resulting in the smashing of its windows, the draping of anarchist flags from its roof, and clashes between protesters and activists.Although ‘Millbank’ (as the event came to be known) divided students and was condemned by the NUS, its instant mediation gave the fees issue a public visibility that inspired more students to take action, culminating in the formation of around 50 occupations on campuses across the UK