Thousands of students protest against Abbott Government’s Budget

STUDENT protesters burned a copy of the Abbott Government’s Budget, set off a smoke bomb and forced police to drag them from busy roads as anger over changes to government funding boiled over.

ANGER against the Abbott Government’s Budget continues to boil over with thousands of university students protesting in Melbourne and Sydney.

According to The Daily Telegraph, about 10,000 university students, student unionists and academics descended on Sydney’s Town Hall to protest against the federal Budget cuts this afternoon.

Before arriving, the marchers, staged a sit-in near the corner of Hay and George St chanting “this is what democracy looks like”.

The protesters remained there for about 10 minutes with a group in the centre chanting “burn budget burn” as they burnt a copy of the budget.

One protester set off a smoke bomb but police say no arrests have been made.

The march has led to traffic delays in the CBD area.

Someone's set off a smokebomb #auspol #budget2014 #nda pic.twitter.com/qFHMP8ngUr

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Meanwhile in Melbourne, police dragged protesters from a sit-in outside State Parliament, according to The Herald Sun.

Up to 2000 protesters rallied on the steps of the State Library before walking through the CBD to Parliament House.

Thousands of student protesters were faced with a heavy police contingent at Parliament as they vow to fight until cuts in the Budget are “dead and buried”.

The protesters reached Spring St at about 3.15pm after gathering at the State Library.

Later a smaller group, including a 15-year-old schoolgirl, began the sit-in on tram tracks outside Parliament and were ordered by police to leave.

When they refused, officers forcibly removed them.

It comes after Prime Minister Tony Abbott cancelled a visit to Deakin University as protests ramped up.

Melbourne students are alive - impressive turnout at education cuts protest #Budget2014 pic.twitter.com/FzQPthliKF

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The protest was organised by the National Tertiary Education Union and the National Union of Students.

One speaker at the rally indicated the protest would be the first in a series of “rallies, sit-ins and civil disobediences” in the fight against the budget cuts.

Some protesters carried black flags and colourful placards to highlight their opposition to the cuts.

Protesters at Wednesday’s rally chanted slogans including “no cuts, no fees, no corporate universities”.

There have already been two other marches related to the Budget, one that took place before it was delivered, followed by one last weekend. Each attracted thousands of protesters.

Anger over the Budget measures does not seem to be abating with the Victorian Trades Hall Council also releasing a YouTube video this week showing people’s disgust.

In the video a man with a sign reading “Best Budget Ever” elicits angry responses and is cursed at by passers-by.

It’s no surprise the union-sponsored video showed mostly negative reactions, but the genuinely disgusted responses reflect how many people are feeling.

Victorian Trades secretary elect Luke Hilakari said the video was filmed on Friday over a couple of hours in Melbourne.

“We had a hunch that people would be pretty upset but we didn’t think they would be that angry,” Mr Hilakari said.

“People were really upset over the Budget, we just happened to catch in on film.”

However, despite the negative reaction, Mr Hilakari said the man did manage to hand out about 300 flyers.