Anti-War Activists Protest Local Appearance by Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair

Cambridge, MA - A group of 15 local anti-war activists gathered outside the First Parish Unitarian-Universalist Church in Harvard Square on Wednesday to protest an appearance by former United Kingdom Prime Minister Tony Blair - who was in town to discuss his new book with former New Yorker editor Tina Brown at a sold-out event sponsored by the Harvard Book Store. The protestors chanted slogans and interacted with attendees waiting to enter the church - saying that Blair and former US President George W. Bush were primarily responsible for perpetrating a campaign of lies and misinformation leading up to the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan - while reading the names of dozens of UK troops that have been killed in action in Iraq and Afghanistan aloud.

After the event began, the action moved to the church's side entrance where the protestors waited for Blair to emerge. When he did, although kept off the sidewalk abutting the church by police, they shouted "War Criminal Tony Blair" as he was hurried into a waiting SUV by his security team. Brown was also the target of some opprobrium. The event ended peacefully, and there were no incidents and no arrests.

Video courtesy of Michael Borkson

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