When shareholders attack: Eggs and shoes fly as AGMs turn violent

Gary Keogh, a 66-year old pensioner, threw two eggs at the board of Allied Irish Banks HQ this week at its general meeting. Keogh was furious over the collapse in AIB's share price, and later said the board were lucky to avoid being strung up with piano wire Photograph: Julien Behal/PA

There were gripping scenes at the shareholder meeting of steel group ArcelorMittal in Luxembourg this week. Workers clashed with riot police and tried to break down the front door of the steelmaker's headquarters, trapping shareholders in the building Photograph: Sebastien Pirlet/Reuters

A policeman sprays teargas as a demonstrator tries to toss a firework through the entrance of ArcelorMittal's office in Luxembourg. The workers were protesting at the company's decision to close several European steel works Photograph: Sebastien Pirlet/Reuters

Belgian bank Fortis faced the wrath of hundreds of shareholders last month, over its sale to French rival BNP Paribas. Shoes, coins and documents were hurled at the board, before investors stormed the stage, sang the Marseillaise and walked out in disgust Photograph: Ho/AFP

The atmosphere was calmer at Royal Bank of Scotland's AGM in Edinburgh last month, despite the fury over Sir Fred Goodwin. Over 90% of shareholders voted down the renumeration report, but that will not stop Sir Fred getting his pension Photograph: Murdo Macleod/Guardian

Northern Rock bank staff also kept their feelings in check at its EGM in January 2008, despite the uncertainty over the bank's future. As chief executive Adam Applegarth had already quit the company, shareholders were unable to challenge him over the Rock's collapse Photograph: Paul Ellis/AFP

And here's an old favourite, Cedric the pig. The GMB union took him along to the British Gas AGM in 1995 to draw attention to chief executive Cedric Brown's £475,000 annual salary. Shareholders savaged him (Brown, not the pig) for five hours, but failed to block his pay Photograph: Justin Williams/PA

Campaigners against environmental destruction in Nigeria stage a fire-eating demonstration outside the Shell AGM at the Barbican centre, London. Photograph: Martin Argles/Guardian Photograph: Martin Argles/Guardian

An angry shareholder wears a jacket reading 'Commerzbank - unsafe even in safe times' at the German bank's annual shareholders' meeting in Frankfurt on 15 May 2009. Photograph: Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters Photograph: Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters

AIB chairman Dermot Gleeson was splatted with yolk by Keogh's attack. However he is not pressing charges - "it just wouldn't be appropriate", a spokesman told the Guardian. AIB has been bailed out by the government after losing €4.3bn on bad loans, mainly to property firms Photograph: AP