This is like when the Rebels found out that the 2nd Death Star was near Endor:

http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/pages/tony-blair/200000430/

Let’s all try to citizen’s arrest Blair this Wednesday!

What will this stunt achieve to bring Blair to justice?

“What will this stunt achieve to bring Blair to justice?”

Sweet FA, but that doesn’t make it pointless. Think of it as a form of protest rather than a genuine attempt to bring Blair to the Hague

I think its a great move. There is nothing on earth that will bring this war criminal to justice but fetching attention to his actions is great.

[3] “Think of it as a form of protest rather than a genuine attempt to bring Blair to the Hague” – the Hague already has a boyfriend ……… allegedly?
http://i.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01702/Hague_1702434c.jpg

what a pointless pointless pointless jesture. it wasn’t an illegal war. accept that. international law meets sweet fa. might is right.

[6]it was an illegal war. If they manage to worm out of it it will only because the perpetrators actually write the law. This was mass murder, genocide for corporate gain. Disgusting

As I said earlier today on the Irish political site Politics.ie

”A pathetic display outside Eason’s by a bunch of annoying wannabe revolutionaries – obviously people with a small country chip on their shoulder. ”Look at us – take notice of us” they were shouting jumping up and down and throwing themselves in front of the TV cameras. A bit of anti ”Brit” feeling in there too I’m sure.”
http://www.politics.ie/current-affairs/137326-tony-blair-pelted-eggs-shoes-easons.html

@8

So what will your apologism consist of when Blair is confronted by many, many more protesters in London?

It’s not apologism to not like a particular style of political protest.
Personally I don’t care for the SWP studenty noisy ones that are most common.
It’s got less to do with the issues involved, more about the style and way the message is delivered.

I wouldn’t get involved in a anti-Blair protest in London, because of the type of people it would attract. The type who shout and scream a lot and would think it funny to wear Tony Blair masks and have placards that said things like: ”Tony Bliar ” on them.
Pointless.

@11

So a polite letter to Mr Blair suggesting that he should feel some remorse for the slaughter of over 100,000 Iraqis would be alright then? I’m sure he’d read it.
…
The man should never be allowed to forget what a disgraceful foreign policy disaster and crime against human beings his middle-east escapade was and if protests like this help to remind him then good for them, I say.

Oops I mean @10.

Well looks like my point is moot now, Blair has cancelled his book signing in London http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11197376
chicken…

chicken…

Power to the people?

Does Blair cancelling the London book signing go down as a success for direct action or something?
The young woman who tried the citizen’s arrest did seem awfully (posh) South Dublin middle class. Does that matter? Like Swampy years ago, do you just welcome your direct action ‘heroes’ however they come?

What on earth has her accent got to do with anything?

@14

Oh come on, I was obviously being facetious with my “chicken” comment. But it’s kinda true, Blair doesn’t want to be reminded of his criminal activity and nor does he want to give the protesters publicity (he’s said as much himself, as well as crudely linking the protests to the BNP, adding to his twattishness) – hence cancelling. I have no idea of the accent of the woman in the video, not being from Ireland and having never visited. But as @13 points out, what the hell does it matter? You are aware that the Suffragettes were led by middle/upper class women when protesting for the right to vote?

[not sure what's up with my counting/reading in this thread - I mean @15 when saying @13 okeys.]

I’m really hoping I’ve misread Damon’s point and that the charming words “champagne socialist” are not even now winging their way towards this thread.

As for your counting skills, Pill: I’m fairly certain that comments get deleted on this site and all the numbers change as a result. We should really stop referencing comment numbers. I know some show up as being moderated out, so I wonder if the vanished ones are people who have requested their own comment be deleted.

Also, while we’re in this general topic area, if I get called a Tory by a certain local troll one more time (ok, maybe five or six more times), I’ve going to gag my instincts and start campaigning for a ‘report’ button.

I see amazon are selling Blair’s book at a 50% discount already. Even so, I think I’ll wait until it comes out in paperback and search around for a secondhand copy before splashing out.

I’m really hoping I’ve misread Damon’s point and that the charming words “champagne socialist” are not even now winging their way towards this thread.

I wouldn’t use such words myself, but there are too many of the protesters that this blog seems to promote that are of the middle class kind. (Those odd people who were living in Parliament Square for example).
I’ve got nothing against middle class people myself, but the antics of the ”Tony B-liar” kind of protesters do get a bit annoying after a while. As I type, Ian Collins is lambasting them on his Talk Sport radio show. He just had played a clip of Lindsey German saying that Blair was ”a war criminal” and that then gives him the excuse to slag off the whole left. It’s probably why a lot of regular people are a bit ”off” with the studenty left.

Damion – I appreciate your comments. after reading them I am most amused so thanks. I think it is mainly driven by puzzlement. How can someone get so wound up over something they seem as so pointless. If it is pointless surely it is of no interest but you are so wound up over such a useless protest you have comes on here and protested constantly against it lol. Brill, please keep it up. If the protest was useless how do you classify a protest by someone against such a useless protest lol. I”m going to bed but I’ll be back tomorrow for the next instalment,

“I wouldn’t use such words myself, but there are too many of the protesters that this blog seems to promote that are of the middle class kind. (Those odd people who were living in Parliament Square for example).
I’ve got nothing against middle class people myself, but the antics of the ”Tony B-liar” kind of protesters do get a bit annoying after a while. As I type, Ian Collins is lambasting them on his Talk Sport radio show. He just had played a clip of Lindsey German saying that Blair was ”a war criminal” and that then gives him the excuse to slag off the whole left. It’s probably why a lot of regular people are a bit ”off” with the studenty left.”

Right. You’ve got no problem with the middle classes – some of your best friends are middle class! – but there’s just too many of ‘em out there protesting instead of decent, hardworking working-class people. Basically, the middle class are ok in their place, yes?

Jesus wept.

Jesus wept.

I think my point though is a fair one, even if my words are a bit clumsy.
This blog seems to promote prattish protesters regardless. Just because they’re doing something. Any old BS will do it seems. Trying to ”arrest” Tony Blair. Trying to set up a long term ”peace camp” in Parliamnent Square. And all that Plane Stupid climbing up onto the roof of the Houses of Parliament nonsense.
And most prattishly of all, targeting airports and invading the runways, or setting off the alarms in the terminals. The people who do this are usually middle class prats.
They wouldn’t dream of doing the kind of jobs that they make inetivable. Like being security guards having to patrol airport perimeters at 4am to check for intruders.
That was all my point was really.

Some of my best friends are middle class.

“And most prattishly of all, targeting airports and invading the runways, or setting off the alarms in the terminals. The people who do this are usually middle class prats.
They wouldn’t dream of doing the kind of jobs that they make inetivable. Like being security guards having to patrol airport perimeters at 4am to check for intruders.
That was all my point was really.”

I still don’t see why you’ve dragged class into this (other than due to the personal chip on your shoulder). Are you seriously suggesting that middle class people shouldn’t protest because that might create working class jobs?

Tell you what: you let us know exactly who can validly express their political opinion and we’ll all make a note of it and fall in line accordingly. I suspect the ideal protester looks rather a lot like you.

Are you seriously suggesting that middle class people shouldn’t protest because that might create working class jobs?

I’ll take that as a joke. If it was, it’s quite a funny one.
I think that there is something not right with the kind of activits left we have today, that’s all. Is that not a fair point. The kinds of people who showed up in Dublin or would have done on a wednesday afternoon in Piccadilly. The people who wear those stupid Tony Blair and George Bush masks at demonstrations. I would like to go on some of these demonstrations perhaps, but feel alienated from them.
It couldn’t be plainer than when Sunny posted a video clip called ”Just Do It” about climate activism. It was appalling.

But just on this slagging of the notion of middle class. I do admit to getting some of my ideas from these people, and Sunny has accused them of being ‘middle class wankers’ …… so maybe it’s someting that shouldn’t be said at all.

http://www.spiked-online.com/index.php/site/article/9484/

And what did Bliar do when she confronted him with his war crimes???!!! He ‘looked a bit annnoyed’, that’s what he did. The uttter, utter BASTARD!!!!!!!!!

I have to say I tend to think this sort of idiotic gesture is performed by exactly the kind of people who got heavilly involved in student politics, and as such the kind of people I always avoided while at uni.

That said, because it is just an idiotic gesture and utterly legal I see no reason to condemn it either. I mean who has this person really hurt?

It isn’t like the paint thrower types who commit criminal damage and should thus be arrested.

“I’ll take that as a joke. If it was, it’s quite a funny one.”

Well, it’s based on what you said. Middle-class airport protesters would never dream of working as the security guards whose jobs they make necessary. It’s a slightly weird point, to be honest.

“I think that there is something not right with the kind of activits left we have today, that’s all. Is that not a fair point. The kinds of people who showed up in Dublin or would have done on a wednesday afternoon in Piccadilly. The people who wear those stupid Tony Blair and George Bush masks at demonstrations. I would like to go on some of these demonstrations perhaps, but feel alienated from them.
It couldn’t be plainer than when Sunny posted a video clip called ”Just Do It” about climate activism. It was appalling.”

Oh, I agree here, with the caveat that I probably shouldn’t be judging people too harshly who, unlike me, are at least making an effort. But yes, you do get the feeling that many are either hobbyists or people who will protest anything because they like the drama. And I admit that I wouldn’t necessarily want to be rubbing shoulders with people waving signs saying “bLIAR” and the rest.

“But just on this slagging of the notion of middle class. I do admit to getting some of my ideas from these people, and Sunny has accused them of being ‘middle class wankers’ …… so maybe it’s someting that shouldn’t be said at all.”

Well, yes. That’s what I’m saying. You’ve got a perfectly good point once the class prejudice is removed.