Tony Blair forced to cancel London book signing - protest at Tate Modern

I've just returned from our local Stop the War group's monthly organising meeting - we were all cheered by today's news that Tony Blair has cancelled his London book signing with Waterstone's. This was intended as the focus for a Stop the War protest, which now shifts to Tate Modern (where Blair is having a soiree to mark the publication of his 'memoir').

I visited Tate Modern when I was in London last week - there are a few depictions of human misery, the barbarism of war, etc, which might make Blair uncomfortable. I'm reminded of Colin Powell, then US Secretary of State, going to the UN headquarters in New York in the run up to the invasion of Iraq: to save his blushes, they tactfully drew a curtain over Picasso's anti-war masterpiece 'Guernica' (pictured).

Hopefully a good turnout of protestors at Tate Modern on Wednesday can remind Tony Blair, and everyone else, of the horrors for which Blair and his allies are responsible.

This comes from a Stop the War circular:

'It's a victory for the anti-war movement and the thousands who contacted Waterstone's, outraged at it hosting a book-signing for Tony Blair.

Blair has cancelled the book-signing, anticipating hundreds of protesters. He knows beyond doubt that he cannot go anywhere in public without being confronted by protests over his war crimes and by attempts to make a citizen's arrest.

And this applies to the "secret" book launch party that he is hosting at the Tate Modern gallery on the evening of Wednesday 8 September. This has already been termed the "war criminals' party", as Blair is sure to be joined by Alistair Campbell, Jack Straw and others who helped concoct the lies that took Britain into the illegal war in Iraq.

Prominent figures from the arts - including Brian Eno, David Gentleman, Katherine Hamnett and Cat Phillips - have already expressed their outrage that the Tate Modern is being used to promote Blair's memoirs, and have called on the gallery, even at this late stage, to cancel the event.

Stop the War has called a demonstration at Tate Modern at 5.30pm on 8 September. We want this protest to be as "artistic" as possible. We are encouraging anyone who is coming to the protest who has a Blair mask or any resources from past Blair protests, to bring them to the Tate Modern.

Please spread the word as widely as you can. See the Stop the War website for updates.'

PROTEST WHEN BLAIR HOSTS BOOK LAUNCH PARTY
WEDNESDAY 8 SEPTEMBER 5.30PM
TATE MODERN GALLERY, PARK STREET, BANKSIDE, LONDON SE1 9TG (TUBE: MANSION HOUSE)

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