Canadian protesters demand Bush arrest

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 21 (UPI) -- Protesters outside a Vancouver, British Columbia, hotel where former U.S. President George W. Bush appeared Thursday demanded authorities arrest him.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police Cpl. Drew Grainger told The Vancouver Sun the RCMP lacked "lawful authority" to arrest Bush, who was appearing with former President Bill Clinton at the Guildford Sheraton Hotel at the fourth annual Surrey Economic Summit.

The protesters -- including human rights activists and Occupy Vancouver members, as well as what the newspaper called Sept. 11, 2001, conspiracy theorists -- demanded Bush be arrested on war crimes charges.

The protest was reminiscent of a recent demonstration at an event featuring a speech by former Vice President Dick Cheney, the Sun reported.

Organizers of Thursday's demonstration included Amnesty International and the Canadian Center for International Justice, which argues the Canadian government is legally required to prosecute torture of prisoners under terms of the U.N. Convention Against Torture.