St Andrews student society protests outside US general’s lecture

A demonstration was staged in St Andrews as a retired US general addressed a group of students.

Police were monitoring the protest by what they said was a handful of people outside Holy Trinity Church, but said it remained peaceful.

General David McKiernan was guest speaker in the last of a series of lectures hosted by the International Politics Association of St Andrews University.

The venue of the talk hailed as the association’s most exciting of the 2010-2011 season was only revealed to ticket-holders on Thursday afternoon.

Amid strict security, ticket-holders were told doors would be closed 10 minutes before the start of the talk at 7pm.

Gen McKiernan commanded the land forces that attacked Iraq and removed Saddam Hussein from power in 2003.

He was commander of the International Security Assistance Force and US forces in Afghanistan from 2008 to 2009.

The student society aims to increase awareness by providing access to those involved in international relations and political affairs.

Image used under Creative Commons licence from Flickr user The U.S. Army.