LITERATURE | 04.09.2010

Tony Blair pelted with eggs at Dublin book signing

Blair's book defends Britain's invasion of Iraq

Eggs and shoes were hurled at former British Prime Minister Tony Blair in Dublin by anti-war protestors angry at his new book which defends Blair's decision to invade Iraq.

Around 200 anti-war protesters hurled shoes, plastic bottles and eggs at Tony Blair on Saturday, as the former British Prime Minister arrived at a bookshop in the Irish capital to sign his best-selling memoir.

At least two protestors were arrested as a flip-flop landed on the roof of a BMW in Blair's motorcade. Riot police were brought in to remove several protesters who had laid themselves in front of a police van. Blair remained unscathed and spent about two hours in the store.

Blair's book, "A Journey," which was released earlier in the week, recounts his decade at 10 Downing Street from 1997 to 2007. The autobiography has angered Iraq-war opponents with its defense of his decision to participate in the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq.

'Blair lied, millions died'

Campaigners held signs outside the store reading "Blair lied, millions died," while chanting "Arrest the butcher Blair" and "Blair, Blair, Bush's man and blood, blood on their hands."

Irish police held back demonstrators at a security barrier in front of the bookshop

Reports said one woman managed to get inside the bookshop where the event was taking place.

"After I went through airport-like security to get to Mr Blair, I told him I was there to make a citizen's arrest on him for war crimes committed in Iraq," said Kate O'Sullivan, an activist from the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

"Mr. Blair looked down and I was immediately grabbed by five security men and dragged away," she added.

Blair didn't foresee "nightmare"

In "A Journey," which has also garnered attention for its sharp criticism of Blair's successor Gordon Brown, Blair wrote he "can't regret" the decision to go to war in Iraq - but admitted that he did not foresee the "nightmare" the decision unleashed.

Blair also said Friday in an interview for Irish state television RTE, that he could foresee the need for military intervention to stop Iran's nuclear program - suspected by the international community of developing nuclear weapons capabilities.

"I still think this incidentally today that we have this fundamentalist, extremist threat that is based on the perversion of the religion of Islam but it's still there and we have to deal with it," Blair said.

As Prime Minister, Blair was instrumental to Northern Irish peace

Proceeds to be donated to charity

Blair's book also recounts in detail the Northern Ireland peace process, in which Blair played a key role.

The former Labour Party leader, who reportedly received a 4.6- million-pound (5.6 million euros, $7.2 million) advance for his book, pledged to donate all proceeds to the Royal British Legion, a charity to support war veterans.

Author: David Levitz (AFP/AP/dpa/Reuters)

Editor: Sonia Phalnikar

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