UPDATE, 6/17, 1:19 am: Tom Grundy got in touch with us and recommended a recently posted video where you can actually clearly hear what he says. I’ve swapped the embed. This update continues after the jump. (1:24 am: here’s a video taken from Grundy’s cell phone; for more, check out his YouTube page.)
Video of that citizen’s arrest attempt on Tony Blair, which we alluded to yesterday in our links post (via Huffington Post), has surfaced on several media, notably Telegraph and ITN, but the above video has the best sound quality, so you’re getting that. According to Huff Post:
Tom Grundy, a 29-year-old Briton living in the country, attempted the arrest at 5:40pm local time, around 11am in Britain, as the former prime minister gave a speech about faith and globalisation at Hong Kong university.
All parties handled the incident civilly, all things considered. No boots, no eggs, no pies… just “democracy for you,” as Blair wryly noted. The same brand of democracy that will never hold him accountable for sending British soldiers into a conflict that led to 66,000 civilian deaths. An unimpeachable victory for democracy! Youku video for those in China after the jump.
UPDATE, continued: Here’s Grundy in his own words, on his site Global Citizen:
The attempted arrest took place at around 5:50 Hong Kong time, 14/6/12. I approached Mr Blair within moments of his arrival on stage – I was prevented from waiting next to him for the police. I stated the following within a couple of metres or so in front of him…
“Mr Blair, I’m conducting a citizen’s arrest for crimes against peace under the Hong Kong “Power 101″ law.
You misled the British people. You caused the deaths of at least 100,000 people. HK police are obliged to support your arrest.
Your war on Iraq defied sections of the Nuremburg Principles, UN Charter, Geneva Convention and pending International Criminal Court Rome Statute.
You cannot talk about religion when you set back religious tolerance decades.”
Mr Blair was delivering a speech on ‘faith and globalisation’… I left of my own accord and did not encounter security/police upon exit.
Also, when Blair in the video says he’s experienced worse, he might be alluding to a website called Arrest Blair, which offers bounties for people who try to arrest him. Grundy, for his part, writes on Global Citizen that “I will donate the sum – of around £2400 – to relevant charities (including the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights in Gaza).”
Cell phone video on Youku:
Shoulda hired the ChengGuan.