Protesters arrested as drama grips Sydney University

Several people have been arrested following a "near riot" at Australia's Sydney University after protests of the university stuff became heated in Sydney on Tuesday.A NSW police spokesman said five people had been arrested during the prolonged protests at the university's main Camperdown campus Tuesday.A breakaway group of students apparently with no affiliation or official ties to organizers, allegedly charged into a science lecture and were followed by the NSW police, leading to an affray.The police told Xinhua that at about 10:45 a.m. Tuesday morning, a number of teachers and students were involved in a protest at the Sydney University where officers attended to assist with crowd control and to ensure the safety of the public.While police were attempting to remove people from a lecture theater they become involved in an altercation.As a result a 31-year-old man from Stanmore and a 33-year-old woman from Newtown in Sydney's inner-west were charged with assault police and resist arrest.The police also arrested another female, aged 36, who was issued with a field court attendance notice for assault police, resist arrest and offensive language.The oldest university in Australia has been plagued by a series of protests and stop work meetings over an apparently irreconcilable split between the management and the staff.The staff of the university voted once again to strike on this week after failing to negotiate a collective agreement with university elders.National Tertiary Education Union Branch President Michael Thomson said the union had been negotiating for seven months, but the management did not agree to even one clause for a new enterprise agreement.