The protestors chanted "Go home Bush" and "Warmongers Out Out Out", as bush enters the Parliament building

CANBERRA, October 23 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – As U.S. President George W. Bush defended the invasion of Iraq and the “war on terrorism” to Australia’s Parliament, thousands of anti-war protestors called him to return home in a violent demonstration Thursday, October 23.

At least three people were detained, witnesses were quoted by Agence France-Presse (AFP) as saying.

As the protest threatened to get out of hand, metal poles were thrown and security netting around the U.S. embassy breached, amid a heavy police presence.

A man was tackled to the ground by police as he tried to approach a venue where Bush was having lunch with Australian Prime Minister John Howard and at least two others were led away, witnesses said.

Chanting "Go home Bush" and "Warmongers Out Out Out", around 5,000 protesters earlier stood outside the parliament building as Bush defended his administration's wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Slogans such as "Bush is an evil guy" and "Lying war heads" were daubed on posters.

The crowd applauded as protesters carried an effigy of Bush followed closely by a dog wearing a mask of Howard, who strongly supported the invasion of Iraq.

Andrew Wilkie, a former Australian intelligence officer who resigned in protest at the Iraq war, told the crowd both administrations were now tainted by "criminal behavior".

"Of course, all of Bush's and Howard's lies have turned out to be only the start of it because the whiff of criminal behavior now hangs heavily over both of their administrations," Wilkie said.

Wilkie has said Howard "sexed up" intelligence and misled the public over Iraq's weapons capabilities.

Hackled

Puppets showing Howard as Bush 's dog are paraded outside Parliament House

During Bush's speech, two anti-invasion senators were ordered to leave the chamber for heckling, but refused to go.

Green party senators Bob Brown and Kerry Nettle have been among the most vociferous opponents of the invasion and were barred for 24 hours, meaning they will miss Friday's address by Chinese President Hu Jintao.

"I love free speech," Bush quipped after the interruptions.

Also removed from the gallery was the son of one of two Australians held by the United States without charge in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Ahmed Habib, the 18-year-old son of detainee Mamdouh Habib, was expelled from the public gallery by security guards after standing up during the speech. He and his mother Maha were in the gallery as guests of the Greens.

Nettle attempted but failed to put a letter from Maha Habib into Bush's hand after the speech, while Brown shook the president's hand.

"I said Mr Bush, this is Australia. Respect our nation. Return our Australian citizens from Guantanamo Bay. You respect the world's laws, the world will respect you," Brown said afterwards.

But their action was condemned by other anti-invasion politicians.

"You cannot expect people to have respect for your views if you show such scant respect for anybody else," said Australian Democrats leader Andrew Bartlett.

Opposition leader Simon Crean told Bush that his Labor party remained committed to the alliance and the “war on terror”, despite its opposition to the Iraq invasion.

Other politicians made their protests silently by wearing white armbands or doves of peace.

"Sheriff" Australia

Bush had told reporters during a brief public appearance as he met with Howard that he recommitted to sealing a U.S.-Australia free trade deal by year's end, amid concerns about a possible delay because of differences on agriculture.

"What I'm committed to is seeing that we can get this free trade agreement done by the end of December," he said.  

Australia estimates a deal would boost its economy by four billion dollars (2.76 billion U.S.) a year, but Howard has pushed for "a movement of significance by the Americans in relation to agriculture".

Australia's farmers regard their U.S. counterparts as heavily subsidized and Canberra is pushing for Washington to relax import quotes and reduce tariffs as part of a deal.

Australian negotiators fear a deal might slip off the U.S. agenda if it is not signed by the end of the year as preparations for 2004's presidential election grip Washington.

Howard has repudiated Bush’s repeated praise of "sheriff" Australia, telling a radio station recently: "I don't see this country as being a sheriff, a deputy sheriff, as having any kind of enforcement role in our region”.

Canberra has worked hard in recent years to diminish Asian anger over a 1999 comment by Howard describing Australia as the United States' regional "deputy sheriff".

Howard fueled concern in the region last year when he suggested Australia would consider pre-emptive strikes against terrorist bases in nearby countries.

But the U.S. president, while acknowledging the controversy, repeated the sheriff label late Wednesday, saying of Howard: "He's a man of steel; he's a stand-up guy; he's a sheriff”.

Bush has toured a number of Asian countries, during which he was met with demonstrations and MPs’ walkout in the Philippines and faced rowdy reception in Indonesia and Thailand.