Australian Prime Minister's car pelted with eggs

Protesters pelted Australian prime minister John Howard’s car with eggs and plastic bottles as he arrived at a lavish dinner today to celebrate 10 years in power.

Members of the Socialist Party, the National Union of Students and trade unionists staged a noisy demonstration outside the Melbourne mansion where supporters of Howard’s centre-right Liberal Party had paid $10,000 Australian dollars (€6,199) each to attend the gala dinner.

“Howard is not welcome here,” shouted the demonstrators. “No war, this is what we’re fighting for,” they added in a reference to Howard’s support for the US-led invasion of Iraq.

Acting Senior Sergeant Nigel McGuire-White of Victoria state police said scuffles broke out between officers and protesters, but there had been no arrests or injuries.