26/05/2004

Protester fined over PM flour bomb incident

The protester who threw a flour bomb at the Prime Minister in the House of Commons last week has been fined £600 over the stunt.

Guy Harrison, 36, from Ashurst in Sussex, admitted a public order offence at Bow Street Magistrates Court this afternoon.

A second protester, Patrick Ronald Davis, 48, pleaded not guilty to the same charge and will return to court next month.

The pair were arrested after three flour bombs were thrown at Tony Blair during Prime Minister's Questions on May 19. One of the missiles hit Mr Blair on the shoulder as he rose to the dispatch box.

After the incident a spokesperson for the Father's 4 Justice lobby group said that it had carried out the flour bombing in order to raise media interest in its campaign.

The Commons Speaker, Michael Martin, has today announced restrictions on the admittance of visitors the chamber. Only guests specifically cleared by the Speaker will be allowed to sit in the section of the public gallery not covered by a security screen.

Mr Martin has already suspended the rights of peers and MPs to offer tickets for Commons sessions.

House authorities, the Metropolitan police and the security services have joined together to launch a Commons security review following the incident.

(gmcg)

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