Masks and banners ambush Blair

"Tony Blair" and war protestors wait for the real PM

By Natalie Grice BBC News Online

As Tony Blair arrived in Cardiff to give a keynote speech on Europe, other groups determined to raise their own issues with the prime minister took to the streets of the city centre.

Groups of firefighters clustered along the road leading up to the Old Library waiting for Tony Blair to travel the few hundred metres from his hotel.

Builders working on scaffolding overlooking the hotel banged out a message of support on the metal to the strikers waiting below them.

Firefighters send a clear message to Tony Blair

Meanwhile, anti-war demonstrators and peace protesters held their banners and placards aloft, ready to deliver an unequivocal message to the prime minister.

But most waited in vain - Mr Blair was whisked into the Old Library from the other end of the building, away from the most obvious entrance to the fenced-off compound.

However a number of firefighters realised what was happening and a swift sprint put enough of them on the spot to give the prime minister a loud 'welcome'.

Klaxons from the striking firefighters blared out and continued to sound outside the building as he gave his address on the European Union.

Clive Protheroe, South Wales Fire Brigades Union branch secretary had been waiting with colleagues alongside a coffin carried from Cardiff Central fire station a few hours earlier.

Mr Blair had at least seen that as he arrived at Cardiff's Marriott Hotel an hour before his speech, Mr Protheroe said.

The coffin was meant to symbolise the death of the fire service, which is what would happen if the government's modernisation plans were realised, he explained.

Rhys Breckon had a protest message for the premier

"It means 10,000 firefighters' jobs will be lost. It means the country will be a lot more unsafe for members of the public," said Mr Protheroe.

The firefighters had a chance supporter in student chiropractor Rhys Breckon, 22, who interrupted a shopping trip to Cardiff when he found out the prime minister was expected in town.

He was there to protest against the way Tony Blair was running the government.

He said: "I don't agree with what Tony Blair is doing, particularly in relation to the fire service.

"I think they deserve more money for the service they provide to the public."

Message

Peace protester Diane Corker from Cardiff Quakers had come with other members of her society to argue against the war in Iraq.

She said: "We'd like to say to Tony Blair he's putting our lives in danger by joining the US.

"As far as we're concerned this war is for cheap oil for America.

"Now we have armed police on the streets - we didn't use to have that to protect the prime minister.

"But that's not the only reason we're doing this. Quakers believe in peace - war doesn't solve anything."

Another anti-war demonstrator who described himself as an anarchist said: "We've got our banner out and I think our message is clear.

"Tony Blair doesn't have the right to travel around this country unmolested - 68% of people in this country don't support the war against Iraq."

The unnamed protester said he had got his figures from an ICM poll published in a national newspaper.

Stalls shut

Mr Blair's visit had a direct effect on a group of stallholders, normally selling Christmas gifts near the Old Library, who had to stop trading for the day.

Stallholders had to close for the day

Tessa Trimarco, who sells hand-made jewellery, estimated she had lost between £400 and £500 pounds through the enforced shutdown.

She said the first the traders knew of the visit, and its consequences for them, was a "wild rumour" on Tuesday, which was confirmed when they received a letter in the evening informing them of the closures.

"We had our stands searched by police after trading closed on Wednesday," she said.

"We've been shut for the whole day. We were originally to be opening at 4pm and it's now after four, so I'm not too optimistic about that."

She said there were "rumours again" that in matters of national security, the government did not pay compensation to traders who lost business.

She added ruefully: "We haven't even been offered a refund from the organisers for the space, and it costs about £62 per day."