The West and Others

"Mr Blair, this is a citizen's arrest!"

"I went over to him, put my hand on his shoulder and said: 'Mr Blair, this is a citizen's arrest for a crime against peace, namely your decision to launch an unprovoked war against Iraq. I am inviting you to accompany me to a police station to answer the charge,'"~~ Twiggy Garcia, a former employee of Tramshed Restaurant

As reported by Robin De Peyer

Tony Blair was targeted in an attempted citizen's arrest last week as he dined with family and friends in a London restaurant.

The former Prime Minister was reportedly confronted by a staff member who accused him of being a war criminal as he ate at the Tramshed restaurant in Shoreditch on Friday evening.

Named as Twiggy Garcia, the staff member said he noticed an "eerie presence" in the upmarket steak restaurant before realising Mr Blair was among the customers. The man then approached the former Prime Minister.

"I went over to him, put my hand on his shoulder and said: 'Mr Blair, this is a citizen's arrest for a crime against peace, namely your decision to launch an unprovoked war against Iraq. I am inviting you to accompany me to a police station to answer the charge,'" the former employee told Vice.

"He said: 'No, shouldn’t you be worried about Syria?' and I replied that I can only address things that are within my grasp at any one time."

After spending some time engaged in debate with the former Labour Prime Minister - who now focuses his energy on the Middle East peace process - the man said he realised one of Mr Blair's sons had gone to find security.

Quitting on the spot, Mr Garcia said he then left the restaurant immediately.

A spokesman for Mr Blair's office said: "Mr Blair did offer to discuss the issue – that offer was declined and the individual walked off. Nothing else happened. Everyone is fine and they had a great time at the restaurant."

A Tramshed spokesman declined to comment on the incident.

Mr Blair has since insisted he is unruffled by such attempts to place him under arrest.

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