Pandemonium broke out this morning at the third European Social Forum when the president of the Iraqi Federation of Trade Unions (IFTF) was hounded out of the main hall by fellow delegates after he was spotted browsing at a stand representing Iraqi victims of torture.
Angry protesters alleged that the man they chased out to chants of "fascist" was a minister in the Iraqi interim government.
In fact, the man in question was Subhi Abdullah Mashadani, president of the IFTF, which has publicly backed the Iraqi interim government.
Mr Mashadani is scheduled to speak at a number of debates on Iraq over the next three days.
But earlier today he was spontaneously surrounded as protesters began loud chanting to bring attention to his presence, before being forced out of the Great Hall at Alexandra Palace, to the astonishment of delegates attending a variety of debates in makeshift, partitioned conference areas.
One of those who recognised Mr Mashadani and joined in the fracas justified his actions by claiming that the man he wrongly described as an Iraqi minister was a "collaborator" with the Iraqi government, and by association, was accountable for the hundreds of Iraqi deaths at the hands of US soldiers.
Describing himself only as "Abraham", he said of Mr Mashadani: "He went to the stand for Iraqi victims of torture. He was there. He should not be here because he is a collaborator. He works together with Americans. He is responsible for killing these people and he is one who shares the responsibility. He should not be here."
Delegate and witness Lucy Gray described the mob's actions as "disgraceful".
"He was intimidated in a most horrible manner," she said of Mr Mashadani. "He is speaking at this forum and he should be allowed to do that without being hounded like that."
A spokesman for the European Social Forum said that the ringleaders have been warned that any repeat performance will lead to them being expelled from the weekend conference. "We believe in free speech", he said. "It is as important to listen as to speak. The situation has been resolved. We have spoken to a number of the people involved and said that the behaviour was completely unacceptable. If they do it again, they will be asked to leave."
Mr Mashadani will still appear at the debates at which he was scheduled to speak.
