The gulf between Celtic's hierarchy and fans was laid bare as the club’s annual general meeting was abandoned after only 25 minutes with heckles of 'sack the board' from shareholders.
Director Ross Desmond accused some fans of being "bullies" as he read out a statement on behalf of himself and his father Dermot, the club's largest shareholder, who was not present.
The AGM had earlier been adjourned for half an hour less than five minutes in and was ultimately called to a halt an hour after it started.
Interim manager Martin O'Neill told Sky Sports News it was a "really sad morning" as he hoped both sides could eventually move forward together.
"I thought it was a really sad morning," he said. "I wonder what Jock Stein would have made of it all because he talked about unity.
"Unity has been so important at a football club because without it you don't have it and you won't win.
"I think the bits that I saw board members saying on video and actually admitting that mistakes have been made.
"But now is the opportunity to move on. Celtic have had really great success, certainly domestically, in the last number of years.
"I'm not saying it's going to happen this particular year, but now in the years to come, despite the fact that the coefficient is dropping dramatically.
"But let's see if the football club and Scottish football in general can get back again to some great days.
"We all make mistakes and I only make about 6,000 per day myself. It was really sad because that's not what Celtic Football Club is all about."
What did Desmond say?
Desmond began his statement by defending his father, a "lifelong and passionate" Celtic supporter and vowed that the board would not be "bullied by aggressive and irrational" criticism.
The Irishman defended Lawwell and chief executive Michael Nicholson and claimed attempts to "dehumanise and vilify them are shameful".
Desmond went on to criticise a section of fans over a recent incident which led to the Green Brigade being banned and added: "Those people are bullies."
That was as far as he got in his statement as the reaction of the shareholders prompted Lawwell to bring the meeting to a close.
Directors had been met with boos and dozens of red cards from shareholders as they entered the packed Kerrydale Suite at Celtic Park, with other fans watching via video link from another function suite.
Cries of "out, out, out" followed before there were cheers for interim manager Martin O'Neill when he was introduced.
As more shouts and chants of "sack the board" came from shareholders, Lawwell said: "This disruptive behaviour is not on. It's got to stop. We have to have respect for everyone else in the room."
Amid shouts of "you respect us", Lawwell called a 30-minute adjournment.
After the meeting resumed, dozens of fans walked out as a series of videos were played on big screens as Lawwell, Nicholson and chief finance officer Chris McKay defended the board's record.
They returned after the videos in anticipation of the usual question-and-answer session but Desmond's statement proved to the the final act.
The board has been under major criticism from supporters groups over the club's summer transfer business and failure to qualify for the Champions League.
New boss search 'progressing pretty nicely'
Celtic confirmed on Monday that O'Neill and Shaun Maloney will remain in charge of the club as their search for a new permanent manager continues.
"Things are progressing pretty nicely in terms of the new manager coming in," said O'Neill.
"My departure is welcomed by me, if nothing else, and I think at some stage or there's something that will happen in the very near future.
"We're getting to know each other a wee bit, but I've only judged it by game by game and like everything else, we don't win against St Mirren and don't play well in the game then maybe time for the new manager to step in and progress it as quickly as possible.
"For myself now just thoughts to tomorrow in St Mirren, which will be very difficult for us.
"That will be part of his [the new manager's] role, to unite the football club again. That's obviously very important because Celtic disunited can't really compete.
"That's really as simple as that."