Vast efforts by British police to identify protesting students

London, Dec 13, IRNA - Scotland Yard has launched vast efforts to identify and arrest students protesting in London on Thursday.

The police on Sunday released pictures of 14 people who are wanted in connection with violence during the tuition fee demonstrations, urging the citizens to help identify the culprits.

Detective Chief Superintendent Matthew Horne, leading the investigation, said police want citizens to help identify the culprits.

'We want the public to help us identify these people who may have been involved in violent disorder, attacking police officers and smashing buildings, shops and windows,' he said.

'The vast majority of the people we are seeking are suspected of committing serious offences of violent disorder and criminal damage,” he said, adding 'people breaking the law, endangering those protesting peacefully and committing offences such as this are criminals.'

Scotland Yard has launched a 'major criminal investigation', called Operation Malone, into all the tuition fee protests held from 10 November, when students stormed Tory headquarters in Millbank, up to Thursday's demonstration in Parliament Square.

A total of 175 people were arrested during the four demonstrations, including 34 who were detained on Thursday.

The most recent protests, which coincided with a vote in the House of Commons on removing the tuition fees cap, involved the worst violence.

MPs had voted to allow fees to treble to up to £9,000 in England./end