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Huge security surrounds Rice visit
31/ 3/2006
A HUGE
security operation is expected today as the US Secretary of State, Dr Condoleezza Rice, begins a tour of England's North West.
Her visit has angered anti-war protesters whose pressure led to the cancellation of a planned visit to a mosque in Jack Straw's constituency of Blackburn.
Dr Rice will see the sights of Blackburn and Liverpool during the two-day visit, hosted by the Foreign Secretary to repay a visit he made to her hometown last year.
Mr Straw chose the two cities because of their historic links to America's deep south, from where Dr Rice hails.
Liverpool merchants played a key role in the trade of African slaves to America. The cotton the slaves harvested was then sent to Blackburn, to be woven into cloth.
Dr Rice landed at Liverpool John Lennon Airport last night on the official state plane Airforce Two, a Boeing 757, amid tight security.
She travelled from the airport to Liverpool's exclusive Hope Street Hotel in a BMW 4x4 with a cavalcade of other vehicles.
Wave
She gave a brief wave as she entered the hotel to the sound of chanting from a group of around 25 anti-war protesters.
The tour will begin with a visit to defence contractor BAE systems, in Warton, Lancs, where the Eurofighter Typhoon jet is built.
She will visit a school and Ewood Park, home of Blackburn Rovers FC, before delivering a Chatham House lecture for BBC radio. Beatles fan Dr Rice will then visit the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts, the "Fame school" established by Sir Paul McCartney, where she will hear a gospel choir.
The accomplished pianist will later hear a concert by the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, at the city's Philharmonic Hall, along with other performances. The orchestra, conducted by 29-year-old Vasily Petrenko, will perform the first movement of Rachmaninoff's Symphonic Dances, Bernstein's Candide Overture and Nimrod from Elgar's Enigma Variations.
Refuse
Anti-war protesters have asked the musicians and artists to refuse to play.
The poet Roger McGough was due to compere proceedings at the Philharmonic Hall, but pulled out last week.
Singer Jennifer John agreed to perform at the event, but deliberately chose John Lennon's pacifist anthem Imagine as a form of protest. She said: "There was no way on earth that I would be prepared to sing at this event purely for entertainment value. I felt it would have been immoral for me to not make a stand. "After conversations with Simon Glinn (Executive Director of the Philharmonic), we agreed that the song I could and should sing was Imagine.
"The opportunity to stand opposite the most powerful black woman in history, whose politics I do not share, and sing Imagine is not something that I could refuse."
Roads in and around both cities will be closed for security reasons during the visit, and security will be tight.
Assistant Chief Constable Patricia Gallan, of Merseyside Police, said officers would deal "swiftly" with protesters who break the law.
She said: "We fully recognise the democratic right of every individual to demonstrate peacefully. "We need to ensure that public safety is maintained at all times, and therefore trained officers will be on hand to deal swiftly with anyone who breaks the law and puts public safety at risk.
'Peaceful'
"Local people should be reassured that we are aiming to keep disruption to a minimum and to ensure that everyone involved is able to enjoy this high profile visit in a peaceful and safe way."
Lancashire Constabulary also advised of traffic delays and pledged to keep disruption to a minimum.
Dr Rice was due to visit a mosque in Blackburn on Saturday, but the invitation was withdrawn after pressure by anti-war protesters.
She will visit Blackburn town hall and cathedral, before heading back to Liverpool to the Maritime Museum, which houses an exhibition on slavery.
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31/03/2006 at 16:32
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31/03/2006 at 18:23
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