The Herald AN anti-war protester wearing a George W Bush mask and shouting slogans yesterday brought proceedings in the Scottish Parliament briefly to a halt.
The interruption came at the end of a debate on world peace, staged by Scottish Socialist party MSPs to coincide with George W Bush's visit to the UK. They claimed Tony Blair and the US president should be tried for "war crimes" over their actions in Iraq.
Two police officers finally escorted Kevin Williamson, the SSP's drugs spokesman, from the public gallery as he waved a US flag and shouted inaudibly from behind his plastic mask.
George Reid, the presiding officer, had suspended the sitting for three minutes and he later criticised the SSP MPs who had clapped during the demonstration.
Later, Mr Williamson said he had been shouting at those who supported the war: "God bless my fellow war criminals in the Scottish Parliament. God bless my fellow mass murderers. If it wasn't for you, we would never have been able to kill those people in Iraq and Afghanistan."
The police said the man had left in a peaceful manner and no further action would be taken.