Thatcher’s death prompts sharply divided opinion

While Queen Elizabeth II and former state leaders are known to attend former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher`s funeral, which will be held next Wednesday, the U.K. government is on high alert due to possible terror attacks by Irish Republic dissidents and extreme leftist groups.

According to U.K. police Wednesday, radical demonstrations have been set up in Liverpool and Glasgow to celebrate Thatcher`s death, while many groups will hold rallies on the funeral day. The conflicts and divide that the Thatcher period left are resurfacing in the wake of her death.

In 1981, Thatcher responded strongly against hunger strikes of Irish Republican Army detained soldiers that led to death of 10 people, becoming target of terror attack by the army. Three years later, IRA tried to assassinate Thatcher in the deadly bomb blast at the Conservative Party annual conference. London police predict that Ireland segregationists could launch terrorism and violence in Northern Ireland, but are not easing alertness against any disruption on the U.K. mainland.

Police are keen to see how many foreign figures will participate in the funeral. Frederik de Klerk, former South African president praised as Thatcher`s reformist, said Tuesday as the first former president that he will participate. Other possible participants includes former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, Nancy Reagan, wife of the late former President Ronald Reagan, and former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

Thatcher`s funeral will be drawn up by a special committee composed by British intelligence agency MI5, police and the Anglican Church. Police are monitoring there are transmission between social networking services, such as Twitter and Facebook, and cell phones to plot to hold any violence and mass.

Thatcher`s death is bringing antagonism to various social sectors. U.K. Professional Footballers Association said it cancelled its plan to hold silent tribute event before the game considering disputes on Thatcher. The Evening Standard`s front page headline Tuesday was on divided London, strike in Brixton and Belgravia`s floral tribute, with two photos on strikes and tributes appearing.

The song "Ding Dong, The Witch is Dead" that was made 74 years ago was No.1 in Amazon`s music sales and in the top 10 in iTunes` music chart. The song was originally sung by actress Judy Garland in the 1939 movie "The Wizard of Oz." The lyrics went, "She filled the folks in munchkin land. With terror and with dread... the coroner pronounced her dead... and through the town the joyous news went running... the joyous news that the wicked old witch...was finally done in." Hollywood Reporter said Tuesday that people celebrating Thatcher`s death appear to have downloaded the song intentionally."

British politicians also had a fierce dispute at the House of Commons meeting Wednesday. Contrary to her praises by former and incumbent Conservative politicians, former London mayor Ken Livingstone from the Labour Party said, "It was her government that started putting people on incapacity benefit rather than register them as unemployed ... In actual fact, every real problem we face today is the legacy of the fact that she was fundamentally wrong." Labour MP John Mann said "I do not know why we are wasting taxpayers` money on an additional session."

taylor55@donga.com