A teacher and two pupils from a primary school in Co Tyrone walked out of a science exhibition in Belfast because of the presence of the Sinn Fein Minister of Education, Mr Martin McGuinness.
This was the first protest against Mr McGuinness since the Executive was restored at the end of May. Prior to the suspension of the Executive in February, Protestant pupils in several parts of Northern Ireland demonstrated against the Minister with pickets and school walkouts.
This latest incident happened on Tuesday when Mr McGuinness attended an exhibition in the Balmoral centre in south Belfast organised by the Northern Ireland Science and Technology Organisation.
A teacher from Aughnacloy Primary School, accompanied by a parent, led the two pupils from the centre when Mr McGuinness appeared. The teacher was given permission by telephone by Mr Billy Tate, principal of the school, to stage the protest.
Mr Tate defended the action, saying that the IRA had murdered parents of a number of pupils attending the state primary and secondary schools in Aughnacloy. It was the policy of the school governors and management not to have direct dealings with Mr McGuinness, because of his republican background.
He complained that his school was not informed that Mr McGuinness was attending the exhibition.
Ulster Unionist Party MLA Ms Joan Carson last night demanded that the Department of Education inform schools when Mr McGuinness would be attending events they are involved in so they could avoid being present if they so wished.
A spokeswoman for the Minister said Mr McGuinness regretted that the teacher withdrew the children from the exhibition. Mr McGuinness praised the work of the pupils at the exhibition.
The DUP lord mayor of Belfast, Mr Sammy Wilson, said Mr McGuinness had only himself to blame for "the embarrassment" he suffered. Had he any sensitivity he would have realised the depth of feeling against him and not have attended the exhibition.
