Telegraph.co.uk
John Bolton to be target of citizen’s arrest at Hay Festival
By Stephen Adams, Arts Correspondent
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 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 newspaper, plans to detain 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 “Defeat: 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.”
(Source)
I found this source when I entered “Impeach John Bolton” in the Yahoo search box. I am reacting to an article written in LA Times Opinion where he wrote regarding Obama’s speech in Berlin. He made remarks attaching Obama’s One World Vision, which is actually as a collaborating united coallision to progress through global change and transformation, to his perspective which he alligns with he real worlds view that the one world vision is an abstract dream with no substance and demonstrates Obama’s inexperience.
Please share your knowledge and advice.
Regardless of which party citizens are voting for my concern regarding thisa rticle is that i is written by the US Ambassador for the UNITED NATIONS! The One World Vision to create solutions in ways that are united in order to establish and sustain is an American ideal held securely in the institution of the United Nations. How is it that the US Ambassador does not uphold this vision and ideals, and furthermore consider it an abstact dream unrelated to the American people.
Clearly it seems that the US UN Ambassador seems to be an enemy to the UN and the work it carries out throughout the nations of our globe, did we not trust our president to promote an advocate and intend to place someone responsible to support and promote the establishment and sustainability for peace in a manner that connects our nations to collaborate and create solutions to make way for a better world?
What steps do we take to impeach Bolton for not holding to his responsibilities.
Found it:
http://impeachforpeace.org/impeach_bush_blog/?p=5349
We of IFP would also like to know Michael. We have not seen anything show up on the news wires. Let us know if you hear!
I would be curious to know how that event transpired.