] Thousands of pupils walked out of classes yesterday in a
] spate of anti-war protests which also saw sacks of
] farmyard manure dumped on the steps of Labour party
] headquarters.
]
] Most teachers turned a blind eye or marked pupils down
] for unauthorised absence, but two sixth-formers were
] suspended in Leeds and three teenagers were arrested in
] Cambridge.
]
] The protests were claimed as a networking triumph by
] organisers, who used telephone trees, texting and email
] to spark hundreds of demonstrations across the country.
]
] Annie Symons, whose daughter Alexandra, 13, was one of a
] crowd of pupils picketing Downing Street, said: "The
] parents' network was buzzing last night but none of us
] knew quite what was going to happen. We're so proud of
] them."
]
] The students included Jacob Hunt Stewart, 14, son of
] junior health minister Lord Hunt of Kings Heath, who was
] one of 350 pupils from Queensbridge school, Birmingham,
] who left classes to join a peace march. Jacob, who was on
] last month's huge rally in London, said: "My dad, as
] health minister, follows the government line, but he
] believes I'm mature enough to make my own decision as to
] whether I want to take part in a protest."

Thousands of pupils in nationwide protest