A TEENAGER knocked out by police in yesterday's student protests in central London says officer's reactions were “unnecessarily aggressive”.

Shayan Moghaddom, an upper sixth student at Woodhouse College in North Finchley said he was knocked unconscious and suffered injuries to his leg and hand during the tuition fees protest.

The 17-year-old said he was trying to leave the Parliament Square protest to head home when he and a friend caught up with another group of protesters walking down Regent Street.

They decided to join them, and were at the front of the march when they came up to a line of police officers blocking the road.

He told the Times Series: “There was one officer who was cut off from the others and was fighting with some of the protesters. It seemed like his colleagues would do anything they can to get him back.

“I was a little way away but they cam through waving their batons. One hit me on the knee and I fell over. As I tried to get up I got hit in the head again and I must have been knocked out for few seconds.

“My friend tried to help me up but as he did the policeman hit me in the hand, and my friend dragged me away on the ground.”

He described seeing other protesters being hit in the head and body by the police, who were caught in a confrontation with some students.

He added: “We got back to Parliament Square and people were just staring at me because I had blood dripping down my face.

“My knee is now really sore and I'm walking with a limp and I can barely use my thumb. It was a completely over the top reaction. I wasn't doing anything.

“I didn't believe in police brutality until that. It was unnecessarily aggressive.”

MPs voted to allow an increase in the tuition fees, which could see some students pay up to £9,000-per year on certain courses.

Shayan added: “I was really surprised at what happened. It was really peaceful earlier on and people were dancing and laughing together.

“I don't agree with people getting violent at the protests and it's unacceptable to go around smashing things up, but most of the protesters were calm and the police were being unreasonable.

“I think they really could have handled it better. A lot of people were getting battered back and hit in the head who were just trying to get out of the protest.”

A spokesman for Scotland Yard said they would not comment on individual cases, but anyone with a grievance can report it to the Met Police's professional body or the Independent Police Complaints Commission.