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Three people have been arrested after ugly scenes broke out during a protest at Warwick University.

A video has also emerged which appears to capture the moment protesters, from campaign group Warwick for Free Education, were CS sprayed by police.

The group had been staging a 'sit-in' protest against student fees at the university’s Senate House building as part of a national day of action when three police vehicles arrived and officers began to wrestle with protesters in an apparent attempt to clear the building.

In the video of the incident, a taser can be heard loudly crackling in the background as officers from West Midlands Police barked orders at the 25-strong crowd.

University officials said they called police to the protest and police confirmed they had been asked to attend after a member of university staff said they had been attacked by one of the protesters.

Three people were arrested at the site of the protest, one on suspicion of assault and two others on suspicion of obstructing police.

Craig Mcvey, a PhD student at the university, was taking part in the protest.

He said: “We were sitting around having a conversation when we saw some police lights and the students were just telling each other to keep calm.

“The police came in and started grabbing at a particular person. I got shoved away and there was a big ruckus.

“A police officer took out his CS spray and sprayed it in one person’s eyes and then into a crowd of about ten people.

“A taser was taken out and was being made to crackle by pressing the trigger, but it wasn’t used.

“It felt particularly disproportionate. When the police came they didn’t say why they were there.

“A lot of younger students were visibly shaken and left in tears. It was quite a shock, especially considering that it was a quiet protest - we weren’t even shouting.”

A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: “Police were called to reports of an assault at the University of Warwick Central Campus in Coventry this afternoon.

“Officers arrived at Senate House at 4.50pm to find a group of around 25 students protesting about fees and a staff member reported that he had been assaulted by one of the group.

“Three people were arrested from the site, one on suspicion of assault and two others on suspicion of obstructing police.

“Police officers and security staff from the university worked together to ensure everyone was safe. The protest continues and officers remain at the scene to ensure there is no further breach of the peace.”

Peter Dunn, from the University of Warwick’s press office, said: “Students have been planning protests across the country and we knew there would be a protest here.

“We have held a number of protests here in the past and security was on hand to help facilitate a peaceful protest.

“We have never had an issue of this nature in the past.

“Shockingly and surprisingly there appears to have been an unprovoked act of violence of such a nature that we had to call the police.”