Security guards blocked the path of columnist and activist George Monbiot, who tried to make the arrest as Mr Bolton left the stage.
The former ambassador - a key advisor to President George W Bush who argued strongly in favour of invading Iraq - had been giving a talk on international relations to more than 600 people at the literary festival.
Mr Monbiot was blocked by two heavily-built security guards at the end of the one-and-a-half hour appearance, before he could serve a "charge sheet" on him.
[...]
Mr Monbiot said moments later he was "disappointed" that he had been blocked from making the citizen's arrest.
"This was a serious attempt to bring one of the perpetrators of the Iraq war to justice, for what is described under the Nuremberg Principles as an international crime," he said.
[...]
A citizen's arrest can be carried out under certain circumstances by a member of the public, if they believe a person had carried out a crime, under the Serious and Organised Crime and Police Act 2005.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Guardian Columnist Unsuccessfully Attempts Citizen's Arrest of John Bolton
Guardian columnist George Monbiot unsuccessfully tried arresting John Bolton at a literary festival in England:
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6 comments:
Despite being a Guardian reader, and living in the country of said incident, I hadn't heard about this attempted citizen's arrest!
Do you suppose Monbiot was deadly serious? Or do you think he just wanted to test the boundaries of the law?
The article made it sound like Monbiot was serious, although I know nothing about him beyond this article.
What I almost said and then decided not to comment at all was that someone needs to get busy and arrest the Bush criminals, because the US justice system isn't going to do it.
Pardon time at the end of the Bush administration will be interesting. Then he'll retire to the new ranch in Paraguay, behind the no-extradition treaty. I predict Laura will stay behind.
(end political rant)
Oh, and what I found interesting was a literary festival featuring American politicians. When I think literary, I think ... Margaret Atwood, etc.
Their time is coming, it's coming . .
Is he plugging a book? Because otherwise I can't explain his presence. Usually, literary DOES mean literary in the usual sense.
Bee, an Amazon search shows that he does have a book. Its title? Surrender is Not an Option. Don't get me started on the use here of the word "surrender."
BSR, to use a phrase, from your typing fingers to God's ears.
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