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10 December 2010
Last updated at 05:06 ET
A student suffered bleeding to the brain when he was struck by a police truncheon during the tuition fees protest, his mother has alleged.
Alfie Meadows, 20, of Middlesex University, was hit on the head as he tried to leave Westminster Abbey area, his mother Susan Meadows said.
Alfie underwent a three-hour operation and was recovering in hospital.
A Met Police spokesman said: "We are aware of a 20-year-old male with a head injury who is currently in hospital."
No 'martyr' "The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has been involved," he added.
Hundreds of protesters converged near Parliament on Thursday as MPs voted to increase university tuition fees to £9,000.
Several protesters and police officers were injured as the demonstration turned violent.
Mrs Meadows, 55, an English literature lecturer at Roehampton University, said her son had described being struck as "the hugest blow he ever felt in his life".
"The surface wound wasn't very big but three hours after the blow, he suffered bleeding to the brain," she said.
"He survived the operation and he's in the recovery room."
Alfie, a second-year undergraduate student, was attending the protest with friends, including two lecturers, Nina Power, his mother's colleague, and Peter Hallward, a philosophy lecturer at Kingston University.
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He was injured as the group tried to leave the area after police began a "kettling" operation, Mrs Meadows said.
He called his mother to tell her he was injured.
Mrs Meadows, who was also among the protesters in a different area, said: "He said he had been hit on the head and was bleeding.
"I got out of the kettle and met him and he told me all about it. He knew he had to go to hospital but he didn't initially know how bad it was.
"The policeman offered to get him an ambulance but he was in shock and didn't know how serious it was."
He was taken to hospital and underwent surgery as his condition deteriorated.
She added: "He's an extraordinarily idealistic and committed and political person. He cares passionately about the cause. They had been given advice on how to stay safe. He would never try to be a martyr."
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Alfie Meadows, 20, of Middlesex University, was hit on the head as he tried to leave Westminster Abbey area, his mother Susan Meadows said.
Alfie underwent a three-hour operation and was recovering in hospital.
A Met Police spokesman said: "We are aware of a 20-year-old male with a head injury who is currently in hospital."
No 'martyr' "The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has been involved," he added.
Hundreds of protesters converged near Parliament on Thursday as MPs voted to increase university tuition fees to £9,000.
Several protesters and police officers were injured as the demonstration turned violent.
Mrs Meadows, 55, an English literature lecturer at Roehampton University, said her son had described being struck as "the hugest blow he ever felt in his life".
"The surface wound wasn't very big but three hours after the blow, he suffered bleeding to the brain," she said.
"He survived the operation and he's in the recovery room."
Alfie, a second-year undergraduate student, was attending the protest with friends, including two lecturers, Nina Power, his mother's colleague, and Peter Hallward, a philosophy lecturer at Kingston University.
Continue reading the main story “Start Quote
He would never try to be a martyr”
End Quote
Susan Meadows
Injured student's mother
He was injured as the group tried to leave the area after police began a "kettling" operation, Mrs Meadows said.
He called his mother to tell her he was injured.
Mrs Meadows, who was also among the protesters in a different area, said: "He said he had been hit on the head and was bleeding.
"I got out of the kettle and met him and he told me all about it. He knew he had to go to hospital but he didn't initially know how bad it was.
"The policeman offered to get him an ambulance but he was in shock and didn't know how serious it was."
He was taken to hospital and underwent surgery as his condition deteriorated.
She added: "He's an extraordinarily idealistic and committed and political person. He cares passionately about the cause. They had been given advice on how to stay safe. He would never try to be a martyr."
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