Protester throws shoe at Chinese premier

By Adrian Croft and Daisy Ku

CAMBRIDGE, England (Reuters) - A protester threw a shoe at Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and called him a dictator as he delivered a speech on the global economy on Monday.

The shoe missed Wen and landed on the stage about a metre away from him during an address at Cambridge University on the last day of his official visit to Britain.

The protest followed the hurling of shoes by an Iraqi journalist at U.S. President George W. Bush on his farewell visit to Iraq in December.

The protester, who was held by university security guards, blew a whistle and then shouted: "How can the university prostitute itself with this dictator? How can you listen to the lies he is telling? Stand up and protest."

Wen hesitated for a few moments in his speech before continuing. University officials bundled the protester out of the building and guards fanned out across the stage.

After the protest, Wen continued his speech, saying: "We come in peace. This is not going to obstruct China-U.K. friendships. History shows harmony will not be obstructed by any force, so would you let me continue."

A police spokeswoman said officers arrested the man for a public order offence. She gave no more details about him.

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman travelling with Wen condemned the protest.