Protesters jostle McDowell at college

Justice Minister Michael McDowell was forced to run a gauntlet of angry anti-deportation protestors at University College Dublin last night.

Around 30 vociferous protestors confronted the minister as he entered the college to address student members of the Progressive Democrats.

They also confronted him as he tried to leave and successfully blocked his exit for almost two hours.

The minister was eventually escorted from the complex in a garda van.

The demonstrators, one of whom allegedly grabbed Mr McDowell’s jacket, were protesting against the deportation of more than 60 Romanians and Moldovans last week.

They chanted slogans branding Mr McDowell a racist and lay down in front of his vehicle to prevent it from leaving the college.

Mr McDowell rejected the protestors’ claims and defended Ireland’s asylum and immigration system on the grounds that it was among the most liberal in Europe.