Protesters Pelt Blair With Shoes And Eggs

[Hopeless Romantic]

Tony Blair has faced the wrath of anti-war protesters as he arrived for the first public signing of his rapidly-selling memoirs in Dublin.

Shoes and eggs were hurled at the former prime minister and scuffles broke out despite heavy security outside Eason's bookstore in the Irish capital.

Activists clashed with Gardai as they tried to push down a security barrier outside the O'Connell Street shop, which had already been locked down in the anticipation of trouble.

The missiles hurled missed Mr Blair amid the scenes of unrest.

Campaigners, who turned out in the pouring rain, were chanting: "Hey hey Tony
hey, how many kids have you killed today?"

They also shouted: "Tony Blair war criminal" and "blood on your hands".
Undercover detectives had mingled with the crowds taking names before Mr Blair arrived at the shop at about 10.30am.

The city tram service was suspended as Gardai blocked off streets surrounding the city centre store.
Shops in the area also closed, with Penny's department store pulling down its shutters as scuffles broke out.

Sky News' Ireland correspondent David Blevins, in Dublin, said Mr Blair's attempts to begin his book signing tour outside the UK in the hope it would limit trouble had "backfired".

He forecasted a vociferous response earlier, saying: "There will be a number of anti-war protesters. Some have already gathered outside and they are expected to increase in number. They are determined to make their voice heard."

Those attending had already been ordered to obey stringent security measures and issued with wristbands after passing through the cordon.

All bags, purses and phones will be left at a holding point, while customers have been banned from taking photographs and also told there will be no personal dedications.

Mr Blair is expected to spend around an hour signing copies of A Journey, the account of his political career which has already recorded unprecedented sales figures.

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Politics/Tony-Blair-Holds-Public-Book-Signing-In-Dublin-After-Live-TV-Interview-On-RTE/Article/201009115713424?lpos=Politics_Carousel_Region_0&lid=ARTICLE_15713424_Tony_Blair_Holds_Public_Book_Signing_In_Dublin_After_Live_TV_Interview_On_RTE

[oldironside]

1. Damn!

I wanted to post this first!

I think he should have stuck to book signings in the States. The protesters would have been limited to a free speech zone about three quarters of a mile away from him. Not even Andrew Flintoff could have hit him from there.

[fedsron2us]

2. Sometimes I can not help just loving the Irish

Today is such a day

The pages of Blair's book should be perforated so it can be used as arse wipe material throughout the world

[Hopeless Romantic]

3. I was actually quite saddened and disappointed by the Irish over this

Not one of them was able to score a direct hit!

[Jeneral2885]

4. Everyone can't get them

GWB managed to duck the shoe, the shoe thrower for Hu Jinato couldn't aim and now Blair is untouched.

[non sociopath skin]

5. Maybe we designing lefties need to be funding a series of DU-sponsored shoe-throwing seminars.

The Skin

[LeftishBrit]

7. Maybe there should be a 'Shoe-Throwing at Blair' event at the next Olympics.

[LeftishBrit]

6. Serves him right...

but a bit of a shame for the eggs. Presumably a good egg would become rotten if it came into contact with Blair.

[T_i_B]

8. Looking for Tony Blair's memoir? Try the crime section

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/sep/05/tony-blair-memoirs-facebook-group

When Tony Blair called his much-awaited memoirs A Journey, he probably expected its journey into bookshops would be relatively straightforward.

But a Facebook page was today inundated with pictures of the former prime minister's book in odd places after thousands joined a group entitled "Subversively move Tony Blair's memoirs to the crime section in bookshops".

The Facebook page – which had more than 5,000 members by mid-afternoon – urges them to "make bookshops think twice about where they categorise our generations greatest war criminal".


http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=150746811621277