Please read this. It will make you think:
http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/laurie-penny/2010/11/children-police-kettle-protest
It might even, I hope, make you angry.
Here's another eye-witness comment:
"Police planted an old police van in Whitehall in the middle of 4000 demonstrators, we asked the police to remove it, they refused. Police only 20 yards from the van refused to protect it. They wanted it to be attacked. The 'attack' on the van was an excuse to kettle 40...00 people for 8 hours, some 11 years old. We had no water or toilets for 5 hours. The news media worked with the police to fabricate the story."
See also:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/nov/26/police-student-protests-horses-charge
When time permits, I will post some reflections on all this.