Protester tells US president's brother where to go

A lone protester today told Governor of Florida Jeb Bush to go home after breaching a security cordon around the US president’s brother.

Mr Bush held talks with the Taoiseach at Government Buildings before speaking at a private American Chamber of Commerce lunch in the nearby Conrad Hotel.

However, a member of Labour Youth sneaked past gardaí and hotel security and gained access to the conference room where Mr Bush was speaking.

Jane Horgan Jones from Stillorgan, Dublin said: “I got into the back of the hall and had just managed to shout ’Jeb Bush Go Home’ just as they were introducing him onto the podium.

“But then I was pulled away by the Special Branch.”

Ms Horgan Jones’ friend Orla Treacy from Blackrock, Dublin also gained entry as far as the double-doors of the conference room but was stopped by plainclothes detectives.

Outside the Conrad Hotel, up to 50 anti-war protestors waved peace banners and the Palestinian flag, chanting "One, two, three, four; We don’t want you here no more. Five, six, seven eight; This is not a US state".

The demo also protested against telecoms firm, Meteor, which sponsored the American Chamber of Commerce event.

The private meeting between Mr Ahern and Mr Bush was part of a series of trade meetings Mr Bush held with political leaders in the British Isles this month.

Fintan Lane, a spokesperson for Anti-War Ireland, who organised the protest said: “Jeb Bush is a prominent neo-conservative and one of the architects of the aggressive and deeply conservative regime that now runs the United States.

“Bertie Ahern should have met Jeb Bush only if he intended to use the meeting as an opportunity to express Irish revulsion at US military actions in the Middle East,” Mr Lane added.

Mr Bush also held private meetings with British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Scottish deputy first minister Nicol Stephen.

Mr Bush was elected Florida’s 43rd Governor in 1998, and was re-elected in 2002.

He is due to complete his current term in January.

A key focus of Mr Bush’s visit to Ireland and the UK in July is the development of the life science sector in Florida.