THE number of arrests after the latest tuition fees demonstration descended into vandalism and violence rose to 34 this morning.

Rampaging protesters attacked a car containing the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall last night.

Charles and Camilla were visibly shaken but unharmed after their armoured limousine was set upon by an angry mob as the royal couple made their way to an engagement in central London.

The car was kicked, daubed in paint and a rear window shattered as trouble spread across the capital after MPs voted to almost triple tuition fees up to £9,000.

With questions about royal security being raised, Prime Minister David Cameron condemned the attack as "shocking and regrettable" and said the protesters would "face the full force of the law".

The Metropolitan Police was also facing questions about its operation after large parts of the capital became a battleground, forcing another huge clear-up operation today.

Benches were set alight in Parliament Square, Winston Churchill's statue was vandalised, windows smashed at the Treasury and the Supreme Court and protesters rampaged up Oxford Street.

Students hurled missiles at lines of heavily armed police who responded by striking protesters with batons and charging them on horseback.

Television pictures showed demonstrators lying bloodied and battered on the pavements while other images revealed injured police officers being helped by colleagues.

Police said 12 officers and 43 protesters were injured.

Charles and Camilla's car was attacked as it was driven down Regent Street.

Up to 20 demonstrators set upon the vehicle with fists, boots and bottles, chanting "Off with their heads!" and "Tory scum".

They were on their way to the Royal Variety Performance at the London Palladium.

The Met refused to be drawn when asked if an internal investigation would now be launched regarding the incident, but the attack is bound to raise questions regarding royal security.

Home Secretary Theresa May added that the "next steps" in relation to the attack on the royal car were down to the force.

The violence came during the third protest in response to the coalition Government's plans to raise tuition fees.

The trouble intensified after MPs voted by a majority of 21 to hike fees up to £9,000. Protesters shouted "shame on you" as news of the result filtered out to the crowd.

Met Police Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson described yesterday as a "very stretching day for the force and a "very disappointing day" for London.

He said: "We did everything we could to facilitate peaceful protest and, in reality, whilst I'm sure the vast majority came here to want to protest peacefully, a significant number of people behaved very badly today."

The Government's measures will see fees rising to an upper limit of £9,000 a year - with requirements for universities to protect access for poorer students if they charge more than £6,000 per year.

The coalition suffered three resignations and 21 Liberal Democrats defied desperate pleas from leader Nick Clegg and voted against the controversial rise, with eight not voting.