Demo 2012: student rally disrupted by hecklers Anti-NUS feeling was evident early on. Photograph: LSE Students' Union Thousands of students - up to 10,000, according to the NUS - have marched through central London to protest against the increased cost of tuition fees and high youth unemployment. The march ended in a chaotic rally in south London, where the stage was invaded during a speech by NUS president Liam Burns. By then numbers had dwindled to a few hundred and the tension between pro- and anti-NUS factions - already evident before the march - came to a head. Burns was heckled and forced off the stage. Students from across the country took part in the central London demonstration, despite pouring rain, to protest against the tuition fee hike, debt and youth unemployment. But after a generally peaceful march, the rally was called off when a small number of activists disrupted the proceedings. As the rally in Kennington Park began, chants of "NUS, shame on you, where the fuck have you brought us to" could be heard. When Burns attempted to address the crowd, he was pelted with eggs and a satsuma. Around 20 protesters then broke through the barriers and stormed the stage, forcing Burns to leave. One of the protesters tried to speak, but the mike was cut. Earlier around 10,000 people set off from Temple underground station, marched along the Embankment, past parliament to Kennington Park, south of the Thames. There were brief scuffles between demonstrators and police at parliament, but otherwise the march passed without incident. The marchers started off in a positive mood, but as the weather turned cold and rainy and the protest headed through south London many demonstrators became discontented with the NUS for sending the route so far from publicity-friendly central London.