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Articles: Protests to follow Rice's UK tour

Posted by admin on Friday, March 31, 2006 - 08:06 AM

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice faces a series of protests by opponents of the Iraq war as she starts a two-day tour of the north-west of England.

Jack Straw has visited Ms Rice's home town in Alabama

The trip, which begins in Merseyside, is to repay a visit Foreign Secretary Jack Straw made to Ms Rice's hometown. But her arrival has divided Muslim opinion and a planned visit to a mosque in Mr Straw's Blackburn constituency was scrapped after fears of protests. She is to visit a Blackburn school and a Liverpool Philharmonic gala concert. Mr Straw says he wants to show Ms Rice a thriving multicultural modern Britain beyond the capital. She will also visit one of UK defence contractor BAE Systems' factories and make a speech at Ewood Park, the home of Blackburn Rovers football club.

We are aiming to keep disruption to a minimum

Assistant Chief Constable Patricia Gallan

Protesters from Stop the War plan rallies in Blackburn on Saturday morning, and in Liverpool before the concert on Friday. Assistant Chief Constable Patricia Gallan, of Merseyside Police, said: "Trained officers will be on hand to deal swiftly with anyone who breaks the law and puts public safety at risk. "We need to ensure public safety is maintained at all times." But ACC Gallan added: "We fully recognise the democratic right of every individual to demonstrate peacefully. "Local people should be reassured we are aiming to keep disruption to a minimum and ensure everyone involved is able to enjoy this high-profile visit in a peaceful and safe way." Ms Rice's attendance at the concert, to celebrate the city's status as European Capital of Culture 2008, has already caused controversy with poet Roger McGough refusing to compere the event.

Protesters had gathered before Condoleezza Rice arrived in the UK

He said he originally accepted the role without realising the depth of feeling against the visit among anti-war protesters. Ms Rice was met at Liverpool's John Lennon Airport by city dignitaries on Thursday evening. Later, a few anti-war protesters chanted slogans outside her Hope Street hotel. Earlier, mosque leaders in Blackburn decided to withdraw their invitation for Ms Rice to visit them on Saturday, amid warnings of protests from a group of Muslims which included members of the Stop the War Coalition. Ms Rice's visit to meet staff at the 1,200-pupil Pleckgate High School in Blackburn is set go ahead on Friday, despite up to 50 people protesting outside the school on Thursday. Mr Straw said: "I'm disappointed that it is not possible for Secretary Rice to visit this mosque but she is going to see plenty else of Blackburn, and will be able to meet many members of the Asian community in town."

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