SECURITY SCARE: Lindis Percy is taken away after breaking through the cordon at the business convention in Harrogate to challenge George Bush Snr PICTURES: DAN OXTOBY

VETERAN peace campaigner Lindis Percy was arrested by police after she confronted former US President George Bush during his visit to Yorkshire yesterday.

Ms Percy, 64, managed to evade a carefully co-ordinated security cordon thrown around Harrogate's Great Yorkshire Showground where Mr Bush was the keynote speaker at the Yorkshire International Business Convention.

She burst from behind a crowd of waiting photographers and reporters to challenge the 41st president – unfurling a US flag and accusing Mr Bush Senior's son of doing "terrible things in the world".

The 82-year-old former president replied "I am very proud of him" before Ms Percy, from Hull, was pulled away by police and bundled into a nearby van.

The long-time peace campaigner, who has been arrested on numerous occasions at the nearby US base at Menwith Hill, was one of a number of protesters at yesterday's event.

But she was the only one to get near to the closely guarded ex-President who arrived in a convoy of four vehicles.

Mr Bush delivered an uninterrupted speech inside the main conference hall at the Yorkshire Event Centre to around 1,500 business delegates.

He said the killing of al Qaeda's leader in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, on Wednesday had been a "very important" moment in the war against terror. But he added that it didn't mean that roadside bombings would stop in Baghdad or that peace and tranquillity would follow for families living in Iraq.

He said the new threat in the world came from terrorists getting their hands on nuclear weapons and not the former Soviet Union.

He added: "Will they get access to weapons of mass destruction? Will they attack America, or Spain, or London again?

"Look at the recent arrests made in Canada just a few days ago, look what might have been.

"The fear is one of these new powers will get an atomic weapon and then threaten the world."

He added: "We don't worry about the Red Army crossing the Western Front anymore, rather we worry about some shadowy enemy sneaking a dirty bomb into the heart of a major western city and killing innocent people."

But Mr Bush's speech also had many light-hearted moments.
Yorkshire, he said, was the Texas of England.

"Everything is bigger and better here and the people are not afraid to speak their mind."

As he left the stage he opened up his jacket to reveal a stars and stripes lining.

Campaign groups had promised a major protest against Mr Bush's visit but only a small number of demonstrators eventually gathered and they were kept well away from the main convention hall.

Sarah Cartin, regional worker for Yorkshire CND, said: "We do not think he is a suitable role model for business leaders and young people and we want to make him aware that he is not welcome at these sort of events."

Demonstrator: Lindis Percy being led away after protesting at ex-US President George Bush senior.

FORMER US President George Bush senior yesterday hailed the killing of Al-Qaida terror chief Abu Masub al-Zarqawi as major breakthrough in the war on terror, but said it wouldn't guarantee an end to the insurgency in Iraq.

Mr Bush, the keynote speaker at the Yorkshire International Business Convention, also warned that Western cities such as London could still be attacked by terrorists with dirty bombs.

He said recent arrests in Canada in connection with alleged terrorist activity highlighted the risk.

He said: "The killing of al-Zarqawi was very, very important in the war against terror but it doesn't guarantee that the roadside bombs are going to disappear."

He said we must still fear the possibility of "shadowy" terrorist groups getting weapons of mass destruction, or rogue states acquiring nuclear weapons.

Mr Bush, who was US President from 1989 to 1993, said: "That's a fundamental difference between the world I confronted and the world as it is today."

Organisers had expected 300 protesters to greet Mr Bush at the Yorkshire Event Centre in Harrogate, to protest about the decision by his son, President George W Bush, to invade Iraq. Only 40 turned up. Outside, veteran anti-war protester Lindis Percy stood in front of him and shouted: "Your son is doing terrible things to the world."

Mr Bush calmly replied; "I'm very proud of my son." She was led away by North Yorkshire Police, but not arrested.

Inside the hall, Mr Bush joked about the lacklustre protest: "It was a little small for dignity of the office I used to have."

He said his presidency had helped create a new world order.

During his term as president, the Berlin wall was destroyed and the Soviet Union collapsed. He said it was now important to establish good relationships with Russia and China.

He revealed that he was wounded by criticisms of his son. "It hurts far more when they criticise a member of your family. There's pride and also anxiety that goes with it, We are blessed with a very close family."

Outside the hall, Sarah Cartin, development worker for Yorkshire CND, who was one of the organisers of the protest, said: "We want to draw attention to the fact that our campaign against George Bush junior and the aggression across the world continues. George Bush senior is father of one of the most unpopular men in the world, hence our tongue in cheek reference to 'fathers for injustice'."
 

The veteran peace campaigner is well-known to police

A veteran Yorkshire peace campaigner confronted former US President George Bush Senior as he arrived to speak at a conference in Harrogate on Friday.

Lindis Percy burst from behind the crowd of waiting photographers and reporters at the Yorkshire Event Centre to confront the 41st president.

The 64-year-old, who lives in Hull, accused Mr Bush Senior's son of doing "terrible things in the world".

He paused for a moment before replying that he was very proud of his son.

Within a few seconds the campaigner, who has been arrested on numerous occasions at the nearby US base at Menwith Hill, was grabbed by police officers and bundled into a nearby van.

At one point the grandmother fell to the ground and officers attempted to arrest her and place her in the van.

She kept demanding to know why she was being arrested and shouted anti-Bush messages.

'Not welcome'

Meanwhile, around 50 protesters provided a noisy reception for the former US leader.

Members of Yorkshire CND, Leeds' Stop the War Coalition, students and other protesters gathered on the perimeter of the Yorkshire Event Centre.

Although the majority of the protesters were kept well away from the conference hall, they made themselves heard through a PA system and drums.

Mr Bush was in Yorkshire to deliver a speech to local business leaders at the Yorkshire International Business Convention.

Mr Bush said he was very proud of his son

Sarah Cartin, regional worker for Yorkshire CND, said: "We are here to protest against the Bush regime, both present and past. We are protesting against Bush senior's policies in Iraq and Panama and as he is the figurehead of the Bush dynasty.

"We do not think he is a suitable role model for business leaders and young people and we want to make him aware that he is not welcome at these sort of events."

During his 45-minute speech, Mr Bush jokingly referred to the protest.

To a roar of laughter from the delegates, he said he believed the "dignity of his office" would have produced a more significant protest.

Mr Bush spoke of his time in office, his business career and his life in retirement.

Protesting against Bush senior (Pic: Yorkshire CND)

Around 100 anti-war campaigners protested against the appearance of war criminal George Bush Senior at a conference in Harrogate on Friday of last week.

The father of the world’s number one terrorist was speaking to 1,200 bosses at the Yorkshire International Business Convention, each of whom had paid £320 for the opportunity to listen to the man responsible for the 1991 Gulf War.

Protesters came from nearby Leeds, York and Bradford, and were joined by US anti-war folk singer David Rovics, who gave an impromptu guerrilla gig.

Despite spending a fortune on security and deploying hundreds of officers, North Yorkshire Police were humiliated when 64 year old anti-war campaigner Lindis Percy evaded the cordon and was able to confront Bush face to face.

This is particularly embarrassing for the police as they have previously had Lindis Percy electronically tagged and attempted to have her Asboed for her regular demonstrations at USAF Menwith Hill, only a few miles from Friday’s demo.

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