<i>Prince Charles' car attacked </i>
Rioters in Britain attacked a car carrying the heir to the throne Prince Charles and battled with police outside parliament as the government survived a major test in a vote to raise university fees.
Charles and his wife Camilla looked shocked as demonstrators hurled missiles and paint at their car as they travelled to the theatre in London late Thursday. The couple were unharmed but a window of the vehicle was smashed.
The government suffered its first resignations over policy and the plans to raise fees exposed the deep strains, both within the ranks of the Liberal Democrats and with their seven-month-old coalition with the Conservatives.
The government's majority was cut by three-quarters as lawmakers voted by 323 to 302 to raise the cap on annual tuition fees at English universities from 2012.
Protesters attacked the armoured Rolls Royce carrying Prince Charles, 62, and his 63-year-old wife Camilla as they were driven down a major road in central London, their Clarence House residence said.
The burgundy 1977 Rolls Royce Phantom VI was cut off from a convoy of police vehicles accompanying it and became surrounded by protesting students who had split off from the main demonstrations at parliament, according to witnesses.
The couple was not hurt and arrived as planned at the theatre, where they were attending the Royal Variety Performance, an annual star-studded evening of entertainment.
But the rear passenger window of the car -- where Charles had been sitting -- was smashed and the vehicle was splattered with white paint.
The protests were the third in response to plans to raise tuition fees. A demonstration last month saw students storm the headquarters of Prime Minister David Cameron's Conservative party.
But Thursday's protests were the most violent so far.
Cameron denounced the "totally unacceptable" violence.
At least 43 protesters and 12 police officers were injured, according to police figures. Officers arrested 26 people for offences including violent disorder and assaulting police.
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