Protests at start of Rice UK tour

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has started her visit to the north-west of England saying she had “no problem” with people protesting.

Ms Rice also told reporters at the BAE Systems factory in Samlesbury that a technology dispute between Britain and the US would be settled “as friends”.

At a school in Foreign Secretary Jack Straw’s constituency she entered using a side entrance, avoiding protesters.

She said she was “not surprised” at the prospect of demonstrations.

A planned visit to a mosque in the town was scrapped because of fears of protests in the building.

‘Warm welcome’

Speaking at the BAE Systems complex in Salmesbury, Ms Rice said: “People have the right to protest - that’s what democracy is all about. I have no problem with people exercising their democratic rights.

“I am equally - if not more - impressed with the warm welcome.

“I am enjoying the visit and I look forward to continuing it.

“If it is not possible for me to go somewhere and to be willing to encounter people with different views then I’m really not doing my job.”

At the meeting in the Ribble Valley factory she was asked about the technology dispute involving a fighter contract.

She said every country wanted to protect its technology but the dispute was being “worked out between friends”.

After visiting the factory, Ms Rice moved on to the 1,200-pupil Pleckgate High School in Blackburn, where about 150 protesters gathered.

Demonstrators shouted “Condoleezza Rice go home” as she entered the school through a side entrance with the Foreign Secretary.

Outside the school, mother of five Rabiya Adam, 33, said the US Secretary of State was not welcome in her home town.

“When I found out she was coming here to speak to our children, I didn’t want her to preach what she did in Iraq.”

Arif Waghat, 47, a retail manager, said his 15-year-old daughter and son, 14, were at the maths and computing college today.

He said: “I’m not going to let a couple of warmongers deprive my children of their education. My opposition is to the war. I’m basically a pacifist.”

Inside the school Ms Rice met pupils including 16-year-old Jabbar Khan. He said she had told him she was not enjoying the cold and cloudy English weather.

As Ms Rice left the school police prevented protesters following her.

Hanif Dudhuala, a member of the community forum at Pleckgate, said: “We have been told that Ms Rice has said that she would like to talk to protesters.

“If that’s true, I would ask Ms Rice to turn her words into actions so we can raise our concerns with her.”

Safety concerns

Flanked by motorcycle outriders, the cavalcade carrying Ms Rice and Mr Straw moved onto Ewood Park, the home of Blackburn Rovers.

There she met Rovers manager Mark Hughes and one of the few American players in the Premier League, international goalkeeper, Brad Friedel.

The two-day visit trip designed to repay a visit Mr Straw made to Ms Rice’s hometown of Birmingham, Alabama, last year.

Earlier, mosque leaders in Blackburn decided to withdraw their invitation for Ms Rice to visit them on Saturday, amid warnings of protests from a group of Muslims which included members of the Stop the War Coalition.

Gala concert

Masjide Al-Hidayah mosque spokesman Ibrahim Masters said the demonstration would have compromised the safety of the visiting dignitaries.

Commenting on the decision, Mr Straw said: “I’m disappointed that it is not possible for Secretary Rice to visit this mosque but she is going to see plenty of Blackburn, and will be able to meet many members of the Asian community in town.”

During the tour Ms Rice will also attend a gala concert at the Liverpool Philharmonic, to celebrate the city’s status as European Capital of Culture 2008.

Her attendance at the concert has already caused controversy with poet Roger McGough refusing to compere the event.

He said he originally accepted the role without realising the depth of feeling against the visit among anti-war protesters.

BBC