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Scuffle at Rees-Mogg student event at UWE Bristol | Scuffle at Rees-Mogg student event at UWE Bristol |
(35 minutes later) | |
Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg was caught up in a scuffle after protesters disrupted his speech at a student event. | Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg was caught up in a scuffle after protesters disrupted his speech at a student event. |
Footage posted online shows the backbencher surrounded by a group of people, with shouting audible in the background. | Footage posted online shows the backbencher surrounded by a group of people, with shouting audible in the background. |
BBC reporter James Craig, who was at the University of the West of England, said security cleared the protesters from the hall within five minutes. | |
Mr Rees-Mogg then resumed his speech. | Mr Rees-Mogg then resumed his speech. |
Police officers were called to the Frenchay Campus in Bristol but no arrests were made. | |
He had been speaking at an event organised by the university's Politics and International Relations Society. | |
At the scene: James Craig, BBC Somerset | At the scene: James Craig, BBC Somerset |
It was due to be a fairly routine event - Jacob Rees-Mogg was booked to speak to a few hundred students at a ticketed event. | It was due to be a fairly routine event - Jacob Rees-Mogg was booked to speak to a few hundred students at a ticketed event. |
He would've spoken for about half an hour before taking questions. | He would've spoken for about half an hour before taking questions. |
Just a few minutes after he started speaking, a group of protestors came into the back of the lecture theatre and started shouting anti-Conservative rhetoric, very loudly, trying to shout him down. | Just a few minutes after he started speaking, a group of protestors came into the back of the lecture theatre and started shouting anti-Conservative rhetoric, very loudly, trying to shout him down. |
Rather than halting the event, or ignoring them, Mr Rees-Mogg walked up to the back of the theatre to try and talk them down. | Rather than halting the event, or ignoring them, Mr Rees-Mogg walked up to the back of the theatre to try and talk them down. |
At that point, various other members of the audience got involved, leading to the scuffle which happened. | At that point, various other members of the audience got involved, leading to the scuffle which happened. |
It looked to me that Mr Rees-Mogg was actually pushed and shoved, although he insists he wasn't. | It looked to me that Mr Rees-Mogg was actually pushed and shoved, although he insists he wasn't. |
But it was a very aggressive and unexpected scene. | But it was a very aggressive and unexpected scene. |
A post on the society's Facebook page, advertising the event, said it would be a "chance to talk to an experienced parliamentarian about the issues of the day, what it's like to be an MP and how you can get there". | |
On Twitter, eyewitness Chloe Kaye, who filmed the scuffle, described "a huge amount" of physical violence. | On Twitter, eyewitness Chloe Kaye, who filmed the scuffle, described "a huge amount" of physical violence. |
Others condemned the protesters. | Others condemned the protesters. |
Avon and Somerset Police said officers were called at about 18:30 GMT following a report of a public order incident. | |
"An investigation is under way to see if any criminal offences were committed," the force said, while appealing for mobile phone footage to be passed on to them. |