the real tony blair seemed not to have partied at the tate modern this evening amidst rumours and disinformation. but a few dozen protestors still turned up and some theatrics and speeches were watched by onlookers and about a dozen media cameras.

with a last minute announcement that blair's book launch party at tate modern had been cancelled, some people, including myself, wondered whether this might have been misinformation. someone was also posting suggestion of an alternative venue at the ritz, although this was soon unmasked as further disinformation or a spurious stunt.

however, a few dozen activists did turn up at tate modern after 5pm and found unusually strict security with bag searches.

the police operation seemed to be overseen by the same southwark police sergeant (MD94) who had "facilitated" the iain tomlinson DPP protest and impromptu march at the end of july. he was also accompanied by a forward intelligence team constable. they did sterling police work shutting down a food stall under the millenium bridge before hiding amongst the trees and watching the theatrics.

in front of the bankside building, lindsey german and others from the 'stop the war coalition' staged a little event including victorious speeches at having at least stopped blair's party (having of course conspicuously failed to stop any wars due to their concentration on words rather than deeds and their total aversion to any direct action or civil disobedience). they also staged a mock book-signing for the many cameras, with a blair-masked bloody-handed actor signing copies of a booklet "iraq: a people's dossier - questions for tony blair".

the STWC folk were later joined by chris knight and others dressed quite fetchingly as grannies. they were in good spirits having just created a diversion outside parliament while two activists got in and scaled the scaffolding at the front of the building for an anti-war banner drop

with no sign of blair, people drifted off and it was all over within the hour.