Well, maybe "narrowly escapes" isn't quite the right word for what happened, but it would seem that the folks over in the UK may have the right idea.
George Monbiot, activist and columnist for The Guardian, tried to make a citizen's arrest of war criminal John Bolton as he left the stage at the Hay Festival in the UK.
Unfortunately, Monbiot was blocked by security guards on his way up to the stage as protesters in the background chanted "war criminal."
"This was a serious attempt to bring one of the perpetrators of the Iraq war to justice, for what is described under the Nuremberg Principles as an international crime," he said.
A Citizen's Arrest can be made by any citizen if they have witnessed a felony crime[I believe War Crimes qualify, though there are no known historical instances of citizen's arrest legally being carried out].
Each state with the exception of North Carolina permits citizen arrests if the commission of felony is witnessed by the arresting citizen, or when a citizen is asked to assist in the apprehension of a suspect by police. The application of state laws varies widely with respect to misdemeanors, breaches of the peace, and felonies not witnessed by the arresting party. American citizens do not carry the authority or enjoy the legal protections of police, and are held to the principle of strict liability before the courts of civil- and criminal law including but not limited to any infringement of another's rights.[10]
So I'm not sure what "legal advice" was sought out but I wonder what exactly makes this "completely unlawful" given the "circumstances."
Earlier, festival director Peter Florence had said they had sought legal advice and been told carrying out such an arrest would be "completely unlawful" given the circumstances.
Seems to me like the law is the law and that anyone should be legally justified in making a citizen's arrest of nearly any member of the Bush administration for complicity and participation in war crimes.
Regardless, maybe we should take a cue from our friends in the United Kingdom. Next time you see someone who you know for a fact has committed war crimes, don't be afraid to attempt a citizen's arrest. Anyone who commits war crimes should be subjected to the World legal system.