BBC's Philip Herd: "The horses' hooves were causing sparks as they charged"
The coalition government has won the vote to raise tuition fees in England to up to £9,000 per year - amid violent protests in Westminster.
Three ministerial aides have resigned over the issue - as the fee rise passed by a majority of 21 votes.
Scotland Yard says eight police officers have been hurt in clashes between police and students.
In angry scenes, protesters are battling with police and attacking buildings, including the Treasury.
Earlier protesters had forced their way into Parliament Square and pushed hard against lines of riot police in front of the Houses of Parliament.
Violent scenesIt will mean fees being almost tripled, as the government saw its majority cut by three-quarters in a backbench rebellion.
There were 21 Lib Dem MPs who voted against the coalition.
Mounted police were used to control crowds, as demonstrators protested outside the Houses of Parliament.
The London Ambulance Service says 19 people have been treated for injuries - six have been taken to hospital.
Heather Sharp, BBC News, central London
Scuffles broke out in front of Westminster Abbey. A flare was thrown, and placards and sticks flew above the crowds.
The demonstrators pushed at the police line to shouts of "no ifs, no buts, no education cuts".
One of the protesters struggled back through crowd with blood running down his face as another held a burning placard aloft.
As the sun went down and the vote neared, groups of students in the rest of Parliament Square gathered around bonfires.
The warmest and the biggest of the bonfires turned out to be a park bench.
There were angry clashes as protesters - some throwing missiles - fought to break through police lines.
The police now say they are containing protesters on the square. Seven people have been arrested and a container is on fire.
The BBC's Ben Brown, outside Parliament, said protesters shouted "shame on you" as news of the result filtered out to the crowd.
In violent scenes earlier, the BBC's Mark Georgiou said there had been injuries to both police and protesters near to Westminster Abbey.
The Metropolitan Police say there have been attacks using "flares, sticks, snooker balls and paint balls".
Students from around the UK gathered in London for a day of protests and a rally - with police expecting about 20,000 demonstrators.
The coalition government faced its first major backbench rebellion in the vote.
ResignationsTwo Lib Dem ministerial aides, Mike Crockart and Jenny Willott, have resigned their posts as a ministerial aide because they intend to vote against the fee increase.
A Conservative ministerial aide, Lee Scott, has also resigned.
Business Secretary Vince Cable welcomed the result as a way of delivering a "high-quality university sector that is more responsive to the needs of students".
Liberal Democrat MPs had been under intense pressure - after their election pledge to vote against any fee increase.
Party leader and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, who has become a target for student anger, was able to call on the support of all Lib Dem ministers.
But Liberal Democrat deputy leader Simon Hughes abstained.
Mr Hughes said that the "level of fee increase... may have a significant disincentive effect on youngsters going to university".
Reacting to the result, Labour leader Ed Miliband said it was a "bad day for families and young people, and a bad day for democracy".
Spending cutsShadow business secretary John Denham said in the debate that the fee increase was being driven by the government's decision to have deep cuts to university funding.
Protesters used barriers to try to breach police lines "Even if they had just cut universities the way they are cutting other public services, students would be facing fees of no more than £4,000," he told the BBC.
"This is a choice they have made and they don't have to make it."
The package of measures will see fees rising to an upper limit of £9,000 per year - with requirements for universities to protect access for poorer students if they charge more than £6,000 per year.
College occupationsThe proposals to raise fees have triggered a wave of student and school pupil protests, with a march last month leading to an attack on the Conservative headquarters in Millbank.
Dozens of universities have been occupied by students - with students in five more universities occupying buildings this week.
For the first time, there have also been occupations of schools by pupils.
Aaron Porter, president of the National Union of Students, said the students had "won the arguments and the battle for public opinion".
"We have lost in the House of Commons today only because MPs have broken their promises. We are incredibly disappointed and angry with the politicians who have let us down so badly," said Mr Porter.
OUTSIDE LONDON PROTESTS
- Swansea: Protest planned between 1200-1400 GMT at Castle Square
- Edinburgh: NUS Scotland organising a candlelight vigil outside Holyrood at 1630 GMT
- Kidderminster
- Possibly Brighton before students gather in London
There has been no consensus within the university sector about the fees deal.
The university lecturers' union has backed student protesters - while university vice chancellors have been split over whether to support or oppose the fees plan.
Steve Smith, president of Universities UK, said: "No one takes any pleasure in asking graduates to take on more debt.
"But the cuts to the higher education budget are a reality and we must make sure that our universities are properly funded."
The plan to raise fees will apply to students in England. Welsh students will not pay the higher rate of fees, even at universities in England.
In Scotland there are no tuition fees - and Northern Ireland has still to decide how it will respond to any fee rise in England.
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