A physical clash broke out at the University of New Mexico when protesters interrupted a lecture by an author known for her critical views of Islam.
The Albuquerque Journal reports (http://bit.ly/ApAvPL ) that the confrontation started when a few audience members tried to silence about 10 protesters who interrupted Nonie Darwish on Thursday as she was halfway through her speech, "Why the Arab Spring Is Failing."
The lecture was organized by the university's Israel Alliance, while some protesters were members of a group called Students for Justice in Palestine.
Darwish formed a group that supports Israel and advocates for peace in the Middle East.
The incident quickly turned into a shoving match before the protesters were pushed out of the auditorium.
Police arrived after the incident but made no arrests.
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Information from: Albuquerque Journal, http://www.abqjournal.com
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.