Aaron Porter was escorted by officers after being confronted as he made his way to offices in Manchester. Witnesses report that among the chants directed at him from a small number of demonstrators were "------- Tory Jew". Other protesters responded to the anti-semitic taunts aimed at Mr Porter by chanting: "No to racism, no to racism."
Following the confrontation, he pulled out of plans to address the rally on the advice of police, who have launched an investigation.
A small group of students had split off from the 3,000 strong march to barrack Mr Porter after spotting him close to the University of Manchester Students' Union building.
Mr Porter has faced growing opposition from more militant sections of the student protest movement, which have called on the NUS to take a more radical stance against Government education spending cuts and increases in tuition fees.
He said last night: "NUS sought to organise a protest with our union partners at which all individuals could take part without being subject to verbal and physical intimidation. It's very disappointing not to have had the opportunity to talk about the real issue of the Government's cuts to the next generation's future."
The general secretary of the UCU lecturers' union, Sally Hunt, addressing the rally in Manchester, accused the government of being at "war with young people".
"It is betraying an entire generation," she said. Fourteen people were arrested during the Manchester protests.
Thousands of students and trade unionists also staged a noisy protest march through Westminster, central London.
Protesters taking part used technology to avoid being held in a police "kettle" – where demonstrators are held in a confined area – with the launch of a mobile phone application designed to identify blocked routes. As a result a number of splinter groups fanned out across central London.
After a failed attempt to stage a repeat of last November's invasion of Tory HQ in Millbank, some of the students moved on the Egyptian Embassy, in Mayfair, to join those protesting against President Mubarak's regime.
"London, Cairo – unite and fight," they chanted on arrival.
At Topshop in the Strand students stopped to direct abuse at the store's owner Sir Philip Green, whose tax arrangements have attracted controversy. "Pay your tax, pay your tax," they chanted.
There were similar scenes outside the Vodafone store, in Oxford Street. The company has also targeted for its tax arrangements.
The store was guarded by a line of police, keeping protesters apart from the bemused shoppers trapped inside.
At Downing Street hundreds of protesters lit flares and chanted anti-Government slogans.
Scotland Yard said: "The protests in London were largely peaceful with only a small number of arrests and no violence or disorder."
The Telegraph
