Shoppers in Southend were stunned to see "the grim reaper" dressed in a Tony Blair mask and draped in an American flag.
The unusual site in Southend High Street was part of an anti-war demonstration by Active Resistance to the Roots of War.
Protest - a campaigner dressed as Tony Blair stands over supposed Iraqis Picture: STEVE O'CONNELL
Chris Keene, one of the organisers of the event staged on Friday, explained the imagery.
He said: "We had Tony Blair as death waving his scythe over the bodies of dead Iraqi citizens, which is exactly what is going to happen in a few weeks time unless we can stop it.
"Everyone who walked past was interested to know what this was all about and whoever we speak to was right behind us in trying to stop this war.
"You do not save people by killing them. It is about time the Government listened to the people of this country and start avoiding war, not gunning for it."
Published Monday, February 24, 2003
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