Anti-war protesters are planning a demonstration this evening when British Prime Minister Tony Blair arrives at Bermuda International Airport.

Protest organiser Lisa Kitson said she was e-mailing friends to take part in the demonstration against Mr. Blair's “lies” about the reasons for the invasion Iraq.

The Prime Minister is due to arrive from London this evening on the British Airways flight to join his wife Cherie and children, who arrived on Tuesday for an Easter break.

Ms Kitson, who runs the environmental website envirotalk.org, said further demonstrations may be held at Government House, where the Blairs will be staying as guest of Governor Sir John Vereker.

She said the protesters will be making banners saying ‘Is the world safer now?', ‘Stop lying Mr. Blair' and ‘Time to tell the truth'.

She told The Royal Gazette yesterday: “I am not going to say ‘Hello Mr. Blair, welcome to my beautiful island'.

“I think he's a dirty rotten scoundrel and I am not going to just give him a warm welcome.

“Basically the protest is against the lies Blair has been telling the world about the war, and the occupation of Iraq, and the fact that hundreds of British servicemen are now risking their lives to pacify local resistance to Western control of the world's second largest oil reserves.

“This war and occupation, which kills innocent people, continues so that small groups of powerful people can make money out of Iraqi oil, out of arms budgets bloated on hyped threats, and as a result of business backhanders from grateful American elites.”

Ms Kitson said she was not expecting a huge demonstration. She said there was a lot of opposition to Mr. Blair and US President George W. Bush's policies on Iraq, but most people in Bermuda were afraid to stand up and protest.

“There is a lot of support, but not many people will get out there and stand up and express that and I'd like to encourage people to do that,” she said.

“I talk to people all the time and they say it is terrible what Blair and Bush are doing, but when you say to people why don't you stand up and be counted, they say they don't know what their neighbours will think.

“Everyone is happy living their little lives, but the majority of people in Bermuda know full well that something is wrong in the way they are operating in Iraq.”

• Tourism Minister hopes Blair visit will be a boost for tourism, see Page 2