Brawl at LSE as Libyan groups clash over Gaddafi's son's speech

One man was injured during scuffles between pro- and anti-Libyan government groups last night outside a London School of Economics building during a speech by the son of Libyan leader Colonel Gaddafi.

Police were called to the incident, in Lincoln's Inn Fields, after angry exchanges between the placecard waving demonstrators and a pro-Libyan government group.

No arrests were made.

The injured man was treated by ambulance officials, but was not taken to hospital.

The demonstrators were protesting at the presence of Seif al-Islam Gaddafi, the eldest son of the Libyan leader, who received a PhD from the LSE in 2009.

His charitable foundation gave the University's Global Governance Research Unit a grant of £1.5m in July last year.

Dr Gaddafi, who is seen as the heir apprarent to his father and has been at the forefront of attempts to forge closer relations between the West and his country, said in his speech that he believed democracy was the best system for Libya in the future.

Dr Gaddafi, who was also reported to have been involved in the negotiations which led to the release of the Lockerbie bomber, Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi, because he was suffering from prostate cancer.

Responding to questions after the speech, Dr Gaddafi said the Al Megrahi was "very sick" and in the "advanced stage" of cancer.