@likecroft :O bad bad bad bad
@likecroft @ebeth its definitely good (indeed essential safety wise) to have supportive people around you.
Still find it shocking (as a Brit) that anyone would do such as thing in a supposedly "professional" environment (over here it could get a person arrested), and even after Brexit etc its still unusual for a (sober) person who isn't an obvious thug/hooligan type to openly disagree with what someone else is doing or confront them in a public area..
@ebeth @likecroft in the UK in situations this might happen, its not uncommon to put a discreet "silent alarm" button beneath the table (i.e a wireless doorbell "without bell" but with flashing lamp as used for hearing impaired folk, or various other remote switches can be used) that alerts other staff/security as appropriate.
But it is also less usual for people to attend conferences and argue with/harrass folk there, they usually attend on behalf of their employers and its "bad for business"