Those nice young people from Youth Defence ended up in Donnybrook Garda Station along with representatives of the UCD Socialist Party following a brawl during the university's recent Freshers' Week.

Gardai were called to the college after a confrontation between Youth Defence members, who were not students but claimed that they were delivering placards to a Youth Defence stand, and members of the UCD Socialist Party who were manning their own stand.

Reports of what actually happened vary depending upon where the protagonists stand on the abortion issue, but what is clear is that words and, subsequently, blows were exchanged. According to UCD's University Observer, which is usually reliable about such matters, a Youth Defence member advised his left-wing peer that he was a supporter of the killing of little children. The left-winger in question alleged that he was told, more prosaically, that he would get "his f**king head kicked in" if he persisted in bad-mouthing Youth Defence.

An exchange of blows duly followed. A member of the Socialist Party sustained a black eye and had his glasses broken while a Youth Defence member ended up in St Vincent's Hospital with a fractured hand.

In an admirable display of left-wing solidarity, members of the Dublin Spartacist League, which is not a recognised UCD society, intervened to assist their comrade from the Socialist Party in his struggle. A Garda spokeswoman says the incident is still being investigated and no decision has yet been made on any further action in relation to it.