Lipman laughs off picketing of her play

PROTESTORS are planning to picket a new play starring Dame Maureen Lipman when it comes to Glasgow later this month.

- BY BEN BORLAND

The 80-year-old found herself in the headlines when protesters in Aberdeen published an image of her with devil horns and a trident.

It was widely condemned as anti-semitic, although Police Scotland ultimately decided it was not a “hate crime”.

Meanwhile, Dame Maureen has revealed she has been forced to hire a security guard to protect her during the national tour of her new comedy Allegra.

‘Anti-Israel protestors are planning to picket her show at the Theatre Royal in Glasgow during a six-night run from June 22.

It is being organised by a Glasgow group called Show Israeli Genocide the Red Card, which is also calling for the theatre’s owners, Scottish Opera, to cancel the production. More than 2,000 letters have been sent to the taxpayer-funded organisation, as well as the company which runs the venue, ATG Entertainment.