London Protestors Attack Prince Charles' Car

Mob takes to streets, angry about tuition hikes

ByABC News
December 9, 2010, 3:20 PM

Dec. 9, 2010— -- Angry protestors taking to the streets of London today attacked a car carrying Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.

A Clarence House spokesperson confirmed the attack and said the heir to the throne and his wife were unharmed.

A photographer with The Associated Press reported seeing demonstrators kick the prince's car. Photos in Britain's Daily Mail show that the car was hit with paintballs.

The royal couple was on their way to a performance of the Royal Variety show, the spokesperson told ABC News.

Click here for images of the London protests.

One witness to the attack on the prince and his wife told the BBC that he saw "a couple of people were kicking the door."

I didn't see who done the graffiti, I didn't see who smashed the window," the witness said, "but I saw Prince Charles in his car get attacked. It was Prince Charles in the car, it was - I couldn't believe it."

The incident was an example of how heated the protests over tuition hikes have gotten. Protestors today smashed windows, threw flares and tussled with police. The Daily Mail called the protestors "anarchists."

The British newspaper reported that tens of thousands of people were protesting the government's decision to raise the cap on student tuition from 3,290 pounds 9,000 pounds, or about $14,160.

Though one protestor told the Daily Mail the demonstration was originally "like a carnival," the mood turned ugly and the streets became dangerous for police and protestors.

Police told The Associated Press earlier today that there had been seven arrests; 13 protesters and eight officers had been injured.