Imagine: Hope, Rice and Straw

By Kenn Taylor

Event of last week up here in Scouse Land was no doubt the flying visit paid by Dr Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of State of the USA, who dropped into town with to visit some of our foremost cultural attractions with the right honourable Jack Straw MP riding shotgun. Ms Rice is not the most popular woman in the world due to her involvement with the Bush administration and the bombing of Iraq. And in Liverpool, not a city of shrinking violets, dissenting forces were not happy.

Jack Straw is also not the most popular figure round these parts either due to his infamous public remark: “Scousers eh, always up to something”. Well Jackie boy we usually are and today we are up to protesting against the visit by these two VIPs and the grasping, bitch-like manner in which some of the city’s arts administrators are acting, as always, in the presence of anyone remotely famous.

Confused morality aside, a mass march was thus executed from the steps of the city’s Roman Catholic cathedral, along Hope Street to the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA). Many students were extremely disgruntled about Ms Rice’s visit and even more so that they were being treated like criminals in their own institution. All students were searched on entering the college grounds and had their actions monitored throughout her visit. The Institute's administrators in the end reluctantly allowed a small silent protest in the foyer while the lass they named an oil tanker after was entertained by the school’s head in the auditorium.

Ironically much of the money for LIPA was provided by notorious peacenik Paul McCartney, and the auditorium bears his name.

Dr Rice’s entourage also conveniently arrived several hours after they were scheduled to, leaving the protestors understandably fatigued. The number peaked at around 2,000 across the city with several hundred amassing around the barriers on Hope Street.

For the short visit from Rice, Straw and co there was amassed the biggest single police presence this writer has ever scene in the city. If only every resident were afforded such protection. Many people were prevented from getting to where they needed they go, including a few who could not return home and some students were prevented from getting to classes. Whether they would have gone anyway is another matter of course.

A thin luminous-green line closed off one of the northern parts of the city centre’s busiest roads. The force included what appeared to be the entire mounted force, whose lovely beasts added something to the atmosphere - a distinct smell of piss and shit. They also prompted a visit from what appeared to be the feared Horse Liberation Army, who chanted “Free de horsies, drop the police now!” But sadly the animals remained loyal to the crown.

The protestors amassed around the barriers with banners, masks, flags and boards. A few even dressed up for the occasion in orange boiler suits - the latest fashion in Guantanamo Bay - and a wonderful Liverpool welcome was afforded Condi. The world’s media - from the BBC to the New York Times - amassed in the city and mostly shuffled around at the back looking slightly bored. Meanwhile the local chip shops did their best afternoon’s trade in years, feeding the eager chanters and observers. Various dignitaries turned up looking slightly worried as they hurried along the red carpet, heckled by gems such as “How many people do you have to kill to get on the guest list mate?”

But not all are here to protest. One inebriated gentleman meandering out of the pub casts a beady eye on the scene and remarked: “Fuck the fucking war, I want to get home”.

Having been treated to a choir at LIPA, Rice, Straw and co piled back into there cars to travel the several yards between LIPA and the city’s Philharmonic Hall for another performance, with Liverpool singer Jennifer John due to give a performance of John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’. Outside however we were singing a version of another Beatles tune, one about a brightly coloured submersible. All together now kids: “We all live in a terrorist regime….”

To see photographs of the day click here or visit Liverpool Indymedia