Bush protesters arrested in Montreal

MONTREAL, Oct. 23 (UPI) -- A speech in Montreal by former U.S. President George W. Bush was marred by a fiery protest that resulted in five arrests, Canadian media reported.

Bush received about $100,000 to speak Thursday to about 1,000 people who each paid $400 for the steak luncheon at the same hotel where late Beatle John Lennon and Yoko Ono staged their 1969 "bed-in" for peace, CTV News reported.

Outside, some 300 protesters burned an effigy of Bush and riot police and horseback made five arrests for mischief, disturbing the peace and interfering with police work, the network said.

Inside the Queen Elizabeth Hotel, Bush told his audience he was aware some things could have been handled better during his eight-year presidency, The (Montreal) Gazette reported.

"I am confident that I made decisions based on principle, that I made calls as best I could, and I did not sell my soul," Bush said.

The Republican didn't directly criticize President Barack Obama, but said he didn't favor protectionism that was affecting Canada.

"I would rather import energy from Canada than from across the world where people don't like us," he said.