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Blair Irish book signing turns violent

Central Dublin at standstill as demonstrators, police clash

By
PATRICK COOPER,
IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Saturday, September 4, 2010, 8:39 AM
Updated Saturday, September 4, 2010, 9:00 AM

 

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Protesters at Tony Blair's book signing in Dublin.

Irish protestors hurled shoes and eggs at former British Prime Minster Tony Blair in Dublin today at a book signing.

Demonstrations became so widespread that locals stores were closed and central Dublin ground to a halt.

Three men were arrested after they broke through a security cordon on O’Connell Street in Dublin.

The protestors included anti-war activists as well as supporters of IRA dissident groups. Police were forced to drag a number of demonstrators off the street and during the melee a man in a wheelchair was knocked to the ground.

Protesters screamed  "Whose cops? Blair's cops!" 

They also shouted: "Hey hey Tony hey, how many kids have you killed today?"

About 400 people lined up to meet Blair in Eason’s bookstore in the city center

They were screamed at by demonstrators who denounced them as "west Brits."

Protester Pixie ni hEicht, from Dublin told the Guardian that,"The police are west Brits who are protecting a British terrorist and the people queuing up over there should be ashamed of themselves. All these people buying the book are jackeens and traitors."

A huge security operation was in place around  O’Connell Street. The Luas tram service was halted and access roads were blocked off.

Blair further infuriated demonstrators during an appearance on the Irish TV programme ‘The Late Late Show’ last night.

He warned that military action may be necessary against Iran if they develop nuclear weapons.

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Posted by Lorcan31 on Sep 09, 2010, 06:27 AM EDT
michaelidaho i did try to reply to your comment but apparently irish central wil not let me speak my mind and has masked it . you know little about irish affair's and indeed you are brain washed by propaganda ...
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Posted by michaelidaho on Sep 07, 2010, 03:42 PM EDT
Lorcan, I am not sure where you have been the past decade but there is fairly convincing evidence that since the Good Friday Agreement (strongly supported by Tony Blair), there has been a drastic decrease in violence with the exception of a few horrific acts committed by dissident republicans. Furthermore, if Tony Blair was driven solely by the economic interests of England, I am pretty sure that Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness would have seen through this (they are quite clever I think you would agree). As for your analysis, forget the GFA, only when the Brits leave will Ireland be peacefully united forever and ever is a pipe dream not grounded in reality. Had there been no GFA, Ian Paisley and Gerry Adams would still not be talking to each other and militant Loyalist and Republican groups would be still creating mayhem and terrorizing the communities of Northern Ireland. With the GFA there is a much greater degree of stability that may lead to a peaceful, united Ireland.
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Posted by Lorcan31 on Sep 07, 2010, 03:35 AM EDT
michaelidaho - Do you think this warmonger helped to bring peace to ireland from the goodness of his heart ? He failed in his quest , it has not gone away and nor will it be untill ireland is united . Blair was forced to the negotiating table by the foreign and local financial groups who had or was going to have large investments in england and as we know from the past the IRA likes to plant bombs on or near these financial buildings in question . All politicians are crook's and only have one thing in mind '' The almighty dollar ''
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Posted by michaelidaho on Sep 06, 2010, 06:01 PM EDT
It is really kind of interesting, and a bit scary, reading all these anti-Blair comments. I used to somewhat agree when many Irish, like their European counterparts, would argue that Americans know very little about politics and history. However, after reading the overwhelming majority of these comments it is pretty clear that there are many Irish completely deluded by extreme, liberal, Islamophilic positions. They make Sarah Palin look like a genius on the opposite end of the political spectrum. Oh yeah, by the way wasn't Tony Blair the prime minister largely responsible for overseeing the peace process that largely ended thirty years of sectarianism and bloodshed in Northern Ireland.
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Posted by dan Breen on Sep 06, 2010, 08:49 AM EDT
KEEP UP THE GOOD FIGHT. THIS MAN IS EGO DRIVEN..
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Posted by Lorcan31 on Sep 06, 2010, 03:03 AM EDT
Think this is bad ,, wait till Queen Lizzy visit's dublin next year lol ..
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Posted by killowen on Sep 05, 2010, 06:56 PM EDT
Where were the southies when the need was so great. The poodle is doing his job for Saxonism and the gold that flows therefrom.
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Posted by JamesMurphy on Sep 05, 2010, 03:30 PM EDT
No doubt Tricky Tony was salivating over the level of protest at his book signing in Dublin. There's nothing like a good punch-up one could sense him thinking to send sales soaring. His role in Ireland was to be commended; his deviousness involving Iraq was unforgiveable. Not one of Britain's better prime ministers.
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Posted by misctimetravele on Sep 05, 2010, 12:27 PM EDT
I wonder how many of those people throwing things have served their country by running for office and have had to make critical decisions to try and bring opposing parties together like Mr. Blair?
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Posted by pflynn70 on Sep 05, 2010, 12:24 PM EDT
All the radicals are the same, they have no jobs, ( don't want any as long as they can collect from the government) don't know a thing about history nor do they care, it's just a time for them to show up and act stupid. It hurts for vet's all around the world who fought for freedom to watch and see this.
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Posted by manhattan on Sep 05, 2010, 11:55 AM EDT
Dublinjas, terrific comeback. You made me realize not all the Irish in Ireland are as radical as these protesters
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Posted by WARDY09 on Sep 05, 2010, 09:33 AM EDT
go on the Dubs.
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Posted by roseofengland on Sep 05, 2010, 07:03 AM EDT
Good for Dubliners. I just wish I had been there to join in. Blair is a charlatan - sly, slippery, narcissic, greedy, delusioned and dangerous. He and his American allies have caused far more death, destruction and suffering in Iraq than Saddam Hussein (evil man though he was) could have caused over a whole lifetime. And it isn't over yet. Hussein at least kept the Sunnis and Shias at arm's length from each other, whereas the chaos that resulted from the invasion continues today with more innocent lives lost or blighted. It is typical of Blair that the money he is donating to charity isn't his - it belongs to those stupid enough to buy his book. One of the main mistakes made by the Catholic Church was to admit this sniggering, self-important man. There is no aspect of his character that I would consider in tune with the Gospel. The person the police should have arrested has escaped again and decent people protesting at loss of life elsewhere were denied their right to do so. Let's hope that when the time comes St Peter will be a better judge of character.
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Posted by battlefront on Sep 04, 2010, 08:49 PM EDT
i have to say I admire Tony Blair for his part in the Peace process in the North of Ireland and for that we should be grateful to him where do these people come out of they do not represent the majority of people in Ireland.
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Posted by Strongbow on Sep 04, 2010, 08:41 PM EDT
hello mr. wounded knee. hope you didn't "wound your knee" with your "Knee-JERK" nonsensical musings. your rants and ravings suggest you haven't seen the light of day in quite some time. who brings you food?
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Posted by murphy66 on Sep 04, 2010, 07:13 PM EDT
But, isn't Tony a good practicing Catholic?
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Posted by Dublinjas on Sep 04, 2010, 04:26 PM EDT
An Ainm "Pixie ni hEicht" a deir sé go léir i ndáiríre, go raibh sé seo Rabble agóide inniu i gcoinne Blair a bhí díreach buanchruthacha an bruscar go bhfuil an Gaeilge i sochaí an lae inniu, Amárach beidh siad ag agóidíocht an ionnarbtha na Rómáine / coirpigh ón Nigéir, nó a thabhairt isteach, seiceálacha leighis éigeantach do lucht iarrtha tearmainn / Seiceálacha Dhídeanaithe a bheadh le déanaí a chosaint leanaí bunscoile, i gCorcaigh, ionfhabhtaithe a bhí ag Afracach is cosúil gcruthaíonn sé ar féidir leo teacht agus dul amach agus isteach in Éirinn tríd an doras roithleánach riamh oscailte Unchecked galrach nó not.A Chumann a cheadaíonn baincéirí billionaire a bhfuil bilked an Nation an-as an Todhchaí ag imeacht ngar is i gcéin unhindered mar a mbaineann siad taitneamh as a n-dishonestly tinn gnóthachain gotten, cé go imprisons sé daoine ngnáthnós Gaeilge le haghaidh fiacha paltry, Faoi Dlíthe scríofa sa 18ú haois. Is é seo an Nation an Ceilteach tá degenerated i ...... A Pox ar sé
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Posted by Dublinjas on Sep 04, 2010, 04:16 PM EDT
The Name "Pixie ni hEicht" Really says it all, This Rabble that was protesting today against Blair were just Stereotypical of the trash that is in Irish society today, Tomorrow they will be protesting the deportation of Romanian/Nigerian Criminals, or The introduction of mandatory medical checks for Asylum seekers/Refugees Checks that would recently have protected Primary school children in Cork,who were infected by Africans who seemingly can come and go out and into Ireland through an ever open revolving door Unchecked diseased or not.A Society who allows billionaire bankers who have bilked the very Nation out of a Future to roam near and far unhindered as they enjoy their dishonestly ill gotten gains, while it imprisons ordinary Irish people for paltry debts, Under Laws written in the 18th century. This is what the Nation of the Celt has degenerated into......A Pox on it.
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Posted by WoundedKnee on Sep 04, 2010, 03:23 PM EDT
Strongbow: If you feel so strong about that bombing, how come YOU don't orgnize a protest instead of sitting at a computer ? You're just empty talk, what the Irish call a waster..
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Posted by WoundedKnee on Sep 04, 2010, 03:21 PM EDT
Southernpride--You show your ignorance. SinnFein was NOT involved in that demonstration. SinnFein kisses up to toads like Blair.
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Posted by WoundedKnee on Sep 04, 2010, 03:18 PM EDT
Shelagh: You're talking garbage. Blair WAS one the scariest leaders in the world. He has blood on his hands. We'll never know how many deaths he caused.
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Posted by Shelagh on Sep 04, 2010, 02:46 PM EDT
Would these same people protest Saddam if he came to town, Ahmadinejad, Mugabe. Few people would deny Blair made a huge mistake invading Iraq, but why is the rage always directed at the British and Americans, never at the truly scary leaders of the world. Maybe because they never write thoughtful accounts of their pasts, and would never tolerate protesters.
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Posted by Southernpride on Sep 04, 2010, 01:37 PM EDT
Sinn Fein are good at getting the dole collectors and wasters to protest.
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Posted by Strongbow on Sep 04, 2010, 12:46 PM EDT
bunch of cry-babies and pawns of radical islam. I wonder if any of them will rally against the al qaeda suicide bombing in Quetta Pakistan which claimed the lives of 54 shi-ite muslims yesterday. i guess that would require a higher level of intelligence and appreciation of geo-politics.
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Posted by GeorgeDillon on Sep 04, 2010, 11:00 AM EDT
God Bless those good people! Just when we give up Dublin as lost and worthless, a group of brave people redeem her honor. Itś happened before in Irish history.
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Posted by bogsidebunny on Sep 04, 2010, 10:54 AM EDT
More ignorant dole collectors with nothing better to do on a rainy Saturday. They should put the lot in Mountjoy for a long time!
 


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