Posted on 05/28/2008 5:42:56 AM PDT by Abathar
John Bolton, the former US ambassador to the United Nations, faces a citizen's arrest when he addresses an audience at the Hay Festival in Wales this evening.
George Monbiot, the journalist and activist, is planning the action because he believes Mr Bolton is a "war criminal".
He said he was surprised that a "war criminal" such as Mr Bolton would be allowed to "swim through the politest of polite soirees – which is of course Hay."
Mr Bolton, who was the American ambassador to the UN from August 2005 to January 2006, is due to talk at the Hay-on-Wye literary festival at 6.30pm on international relations.
Mr Monbiot, a columnist for The Guardian, plans to arrest him as he steps off stage at the end of his talk. He said he was prepared to jump on stage and perform the citizen's arrest there if necessary.
He claimed Mr Bolton was "instrumental in preparing and initiating the Iraq war by disseminating false claims through the State Department" while he was under-secretary of state for arms control.
Mr Monbiot, who took part in a debate at Hay on Saturday entitled 'Iraq: Why They Lost Iraq', has been a fierce critic of the decision to launch the 2003 invasion.
He said he had formally notified police of his intention of performing a citizen's arrest.
Mr Monbiot said: "This is the one opportunity we have, because he is mingling with the public, which doesn't happen very often.
He added: "I can't think of another case where someone who has been instrumental in planning the war has been exposed to the public, so I'm taking the opportunity.
"John Bolton was pushing for the Iraq war long before he became part of the administration."
Explaining his motivation for carrying out what will be a purely symbolic gesture, Mr Monbiot said: "Many people accept that the launching of the Iraq war was an international crime, but no one has yet been prepared to act on it by arresting one of the perpetrators."
Peter Florence, director of the Hay Festival, said Mr Monbiot’s attempt at a citizen’s arrest would be “completely unlawful”.
He said: “The Hay Festival has sought the advice of both police and lawyers, and has been unequivocally assured that a citizen’s arrest, or an attempt to instigate a citizen’s arrest, would be completely unlawful in these circumstances.”
“The Hay Festival remains committed to providing a platform for speakers from a diverse range of political and social backgrounds.
“However much we might take issue with a speaker’s beliefs or opinions, we remain steadfast in our intention to provide them with a safe and free environment in which their views might be discussed with others. The Hay Festival encourages visitors to voice their opinions, but also requires that, in their expression, they respect both the law and the speaker.”
Was Bolton also in charge of the Germans, French, Russians, and English?
You might call it a "citizen's HAYmaker".
these people need therapy.....there is just not enough attention in the world, or enough drama in their lives to make them happy.....
Ha! Can’t believe I missed that one.
Mr. Monbiot is a moonbat.
It's not symbolic in the eyes of the law. A false arrest is not something of which he wants to be a part.
Nice town. I visited there a few years ago and picked up a copy of one of the Dr. Syn novels I’d been looking for. Too bad it has to be sullied with political idiocy.
He said: “The Hay Festival has sought the advice of both police and lawyers, and has been unequivocally assured that a citizen’s arrest, or an attempt to instigate a citizen’s arrest, would be completely unlawful in these circumstances.”
Sounds like Mr. Monbiot will be heading to jail and not Bolton if he attempts this... Why doesn’t he try to arrest the members of Parliament, or the royal family? Surely, he must hold them responsible in some way for the British soldiers in Iraq... Or, does he really think that the U.S. runs the whole world?
My guess is that he has drank so much anti-war Kool-aid, that he really believes the US controls the WHOLE world! These idiots really need to calm down and stop listening to the propoganda!
I hope when McCain is elected, he makes Bolton Sect’y of State.
Just love the Internet at moments like this. Instant satisfaction for a nostalgia craving. In less than a minute I tracked the clip down at YouTube. Been forever since I saw this. Citizen's Arrest Episode. (Approx the 3:05 mark is when the famous scene begins.
I think they should arrest Michael Bolton for all of wussy songs he sang.
A size 10 to his “gentleman’s vegetables” (if Monbiot has any) should terminate the arrest.
Monbiot is a typical moonbat. He was given an opportunity to participate and present his position, which he did without interference from anyone. Now, however, when a position he disagrees with is to be presented, he threatens the speaker with a citizen’s arrest. This is a journalist who is making these threats. This is someone who ought to have some basic inkling of the value of the free exchange of ideas to western society. This is someone who ought to be willing to die for free speech rights. Instead, he is another left-wing moonbat determined to make some sort of spectacle in hopes that he can perhaps prevent information he does not want to acknowledge from being presented. His behavior is like that of a spoiled rich kid who threatens to take his ball and leave because other people make more goals with it than he does. Where is the outrage in the British media over this childishness? What kind of editor employs a kindergartner? When the moonbat boychild jumps on the stage, I hope John Bolton grabs him by the seat of his pants and the collar of his shirt and tosses him like the piece of trash that he is back into the lap of the mother who made him the mollycoddle that he is.
Volunteer bodyguards, anyone? I wouldn’t mind taking a shot at some aging hippies myself!
No, this is a moonbat who happens to write for a living.
This George Monbiot spelled (IDIOT) should be arrested and put in a holding cell for about 30 days, then to an institution to keep him away from harming others or himself.
.
The leftist will run like little children.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.