Student protest ends in farce as NUS president pelted with eggs and forced off stage Thousands from across the country had marched through central London to demonstrate over tuition fees, student debt and youth unemployment. The march culminated in a rally at Kennington Park in south London but the event was called off after it was disrupted by a small number of activists. Some factions claim the union has not done enough in the battle against rising fees, which have recently trebled to £9,000-a-year. As the rally began, chants of "NUS, shame on you" could be heard, prompting the union's president Liam Burns to appear on stage to try to quieten the hecklers, but he was greeted with a chorus of boos. When Mr Burns returned to deliver a speech, he was subjected to further booing and was pelted with eggs and a satsuma. A group of demonstrators, many with their faces covered, then stormed the stage. One man tried to grab the microphone before the sound was cut, and the rally disbanded soon afterwards. Earlier, the NUS estimated that 10,000 people had set off from Temple Underground station, marched along the Embankment and past Parliament before crossing the Thames to the park. There had been brief scuffles in Westminster as a minority of protesters rushed police protecting the MPs" building, Portcullis House, but otherwise the demonstration had passed without incident.