AN internet campaign has been launched demanding the release of a student jailed for hurling a fire extinguisher off a tower.

Edward Woollard was sentenced to 32 months behind bars for throwing the empty canister off the roof of the Conservative Party headquarters in London as a demonstration over university tuition fees descended into chaos.

Now a campaign, called “Free Edward Woollard – No Police State”, has been set up, attracting more than 100 supporters within hours of going live yesterday.

It claims not to condone what the former Brockenhurst College six-former did, but condemns his sentence as an “indication of everything that is wrong with our civil rights in this country”.

Last night, bosses at the college, which has expelled 18-year-old Woollard, refused to reveal how many of their students took part in the day of demonstrations in November. But chair of governors Graham Swetman told the Daily Echo that no staff members attended the event Woollard, of Dibden Purlieu, has been told he should serve at least half of his sentence in a young offenders’ institute after admitting violent disorder.

Southwark Crown Court heard how it was fortunate that no-one was killed after he hurled the extinguisher from seven storeys. The canister landed one metre from riot cops holding back protesters. Another page, on the social networking site Face-book, has been set up calling for “Edward Woollard’s continued education”.

Woollard was studying politics, philosophy and classics at Brockenhurst College and was due to sit an exam tomorrow. He worked at Exbury Gardens and is a Amnesty International supporter.