Morning:
11°c
An awesome and ridiculous film that leaves you thrilled beyond the point of your natural endurance
London faces a wave of bus and Tube strikes that could cause chaos for millions of passengers as unions walkout over pay and conditions
More...
London's shame as protests plunge Olympic torch relay into chaos
Last updated at 15:07pm on 07.04.08Surrounded by a phalanx of Chinese security guards, British athlete Denise Lewis carries the Olympic torch into a Downing Street besieged by protesters.
The relay event through the capital had been billed as a journey of harmony and peace - not to mention a showcase for the London Games in 2012.
It turned into a combination of sinister and slapstick which did Britain no favours in the eyes of the world.
Scroll down for more ...
Heavies: Olympic athlete Denise Lewis is surrounded as she enters Downing Street
In bizarre scenes, Chinese security guards and hundreds of police fought running battles with protesters against the plight of Tibet.
Terrified athletes and celebrities carrying the torch were forced to run for cover.
Downing Street was privately furious as the embarrassing fiasco - costing £1million and likened to "Chinese police-state tactics" in London - was beamed around the world on TV.
Scroll down for more ...
Struggle: A protester tries to grab the torch from former Blue Peter presenter Konnie Huq
Got you: Police grapple with the protester moments after he tackled Konnie Huq
Because of the demonstrators, 37 of whom were arrested, the torch had to be escorted by jogging Metropolitan Police officers alongside the mysterious private army of Chinese guards.
Wearing blue tracksuits, the hired "thugs" barged protesters out the way and even shoved spectators in Downing Street, where the torch was greeted by Gordon Brown.
As the surreal circus made its way through London, no one seemed able to prevent campaigners launching wave after wave of attack.
Scroll down for more ...
Ring of steel: Olympic swimmer Duncan Goodhew enjoyed three layers of protection
Flashpoints included Downing Street and outside the British Museum where more than 2,000 activists massed to protest China's role in Tibet.
Former Blue Peter presenter Konnie Huq was almost knocked to the ground as a demonstrator tried to snatch the torch from her.
Elsewhere, as 100 protesters besieged the parade on Fleet Street, the torch-bearing party was forced to stage a "breakout" using a London bus to reach the safety of St Paul's Cathedral, where the procession resumed on foot.
Security was progressively stepped up until more than 50 police officers wearing heavy stabproof vests were taking part in the bizarre marathon.
Resembling the U.S. Presidential bodyguard, they jogged along forming a triple ring of steel around the torchbearers.
The inner circle was a blue ring of 15 Chinese "flame attendants" flown in from Beijing to "protect" the torch.
Surrounding them were 17 yellow-jacketed police officers on foot - who had to complete the full length of the gruelling 31-mile parade. Some of them ran along wearing cycle helmets "so they could use cycles if necessary", said the Met.
Looking ludicrous, they held hands as they ran in a chain to repel any protesters who breached the outer ring - which was made up of a further 40 beat officers in black uniforms.
Scroll down for more ...
Scrum down: A posse of police officers drag another protester away from the scene
In all, around 2,000 Metropolitan Police - including airborne, mounted and river units - were mobilised for the eight-hour event.
The Met was forced to explain the role of the Chinese 'goon army' of security guards who surrounded the flame at all times.
Officially described as members of the Beijing organising committee, the burly minders were flown in specially for the event.
They patrolled alongside London officers and seemed unafraid to get stuck in to the running battles with protesters.
The Met later denied the Chinese guards had been given any special jurisdiction, a spokesman saying: "Their role is to protect the torch. They do not have any executive powers while in London. Police officers were on hand to deal with any incidents."
Former Labour minister Frank Field said: "This is deeply damaging to the Government. We just look silly don't we?
"The only way we are getting the flame through London is by using 'police state' tactics.
Scroll down for more ...
Happy: A demonstrator smiles as he is grabbed by a policeman in a cycle helmet
"Many of my constituents phone and ask for police support against yobs and are told they haven't got anyone available - yet when you have got the torch coming through London for a dictatorial totalitarian regime there seems no end of police available to protect the torch."
The protests, over China's human rights record and occupation of Tibet, began soon after rower Sir Steve Redgrave started the parade Wembley at 10.30am.
Within ten minutes, police had arrested three people who attempted to board the official bus.
Around the same time, activists Martin Wyness and Ashley Darby were held at Ladbroke Grove as they waited with fire extinguishers to try to snuff out the flame.
Scroll down for more ...
Peaceful protests: Demonstrators want more action against China's actions in Tibet
As several attempted to run towards the torch, they were bundled to the floor by police.
Those taking part in the relay included ten Olympic champions, 18 schoolchildren and public figures such as newsreader Sir Trevor McDonald.
The torch was lit in Olympia, Greece, last week and will go through 20 countries before being carried into the Beijing Games opening ceremony on August 8.
The Prime Minister decided to greet it in Downing Street despite coming under pressure to boycott the parade and the Beijing opening ceremony.
Opponents said Britain risked being seen as complicit with oppression, and recalled Chinese President Jiang Zemin's state visit in 1999 when police stopped protesters carrying the Tibetan flag, which is banned in China.
In a classic piece of looking through rose-tinted spectacles, Liu Weimin, spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in London, said: "I was in the torch relay convoy today and I saw many people welcoming the arrival of the flame who were holding up banners of welcome to London.
"The people of London came out on this cold day to support the Olympic relay."
Asked if the Chinese would pick up the £1million bill for policing the event, he said: "This event was hosted by London so I cannot answer that."
The stars who carried the flame defended their decision to run. Five-times Olympic rowing champion Sir Steve Redgrave said it was "cheap" to use athletes as scapegoats for China's human rights abuses when the more powerful weapons of Government and big business were not taking the lead.
Chaos: There was more trouble as demonstrators set off fire extinguishers along the route
Reader views (58)
The Chinese have never shown an interest or willingness to play by the rules--in human rights or in business or anything else. The IOC are responsible for these protests and unrest. To reward China for their arrogant separatist behaviour is to reinforce the behaviour. These Olympics should be cancelled, as a show of world solidarity for the Tibetan people and as a statement to the Chinese that the world will not embrace them until they show a willingness to behave like part of the civilized world.
- San Francisco Poet, San Francisco, USA
It is great that protests still spur a debate and discussion in these times. Good for the French. Hope the people in San Francisco upstage the French and make the Chinese respond and react. Now that is real competition in an important skill in life.
For those who go on about Olympics not being the right forum to bring up such issues, I ask why not? It has forced China to respond and at least increased awareness of human rights violations in China. Think about how many years of Amnesty international and UNHRC reports have gone unheeded by the government of China and the rest of the world. Do you honestly believe they would have responded in any other situation?
That being said, I definitely want people to protest London in 2012 for their Iraq support, USA in the future for the same and a number of other issues, India for casteism and other social issues and the list goes on. Olympics seems like the ideal time to protest when host countries find it hard to ignore protests.
Finally, I don't find anything wrong with people heckling a disabled athlete. Being disabled does not automatically grant a higher moral standing. If anything, I find such public attitudes condescending as if saying that "disabled people are different, you shouldn't bother them with such issues which are not relevant to them".
- T, Madison, WI, US
The protests were far more widespread than described in the media and the police highly aggressive - especially considering a key theme of the Tibetan independence struggle is non-violence.
They had to sneak the torch in through the backdoor of Festival Hall, there was so many of us protesting outside. What a shameful waste of public money on an attempted propaganda coup by a corrupt regime - I am so glad it backfired.
Maybe sports shouldn't be mixed with politics - even though the Chinese began the association through tactics like trying to make Taiwan part of the domestic Chinese torch route - however, morality and opposition to oppression and genocide are far more important than either sports or politics.
BTW, the modern torch relay was invented by the Nazis for the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. Organisers hoped that carrying the flame from Greece to Germany would help link the Nazi regime to Olympian ideals.
Free Tibet!
- Huang Fei Hong, Ladbroke Grove
Lord Coe is a coward, and should resign from the organisation of London Olympics by calling Chinese security guards as thugs. Will he dare to call people guarding the Queen as thugs. Those Chinese people wearing blue apparel were models of restraint, and the thugs were the violent Tibetan protesters with their thuggish behaviour. For, Coe, London Olympics is a gravy train to simply enrich himself and his associates. Shame on Coe, who should have voted against China, hosting the Olympics.
- Philippa, london,uk
And think about this, when the parade comes to your town 4 years from now, there'll be people in maybe India, and Iran, and definitely IRAQ protesting London '12 for similar instances of debatable humanitarian incompetence. I'm sure anywhere you put the Olympics there will be protest. You've got well over 60 countries participating in, and inadvertently, at the very least, supporting (on a rocar rever) the economy of a nation or regime that is guilty of committing horrible crimes that are both senseless and embarrassing.
You, the French, and my home city of Career Protesters (San Francisco) are not going to stop the killing of innocent people by corrupt governments by rallying up with a bunch of MES-organised morons and shouting at the top of our lungs at local law enforcement.
So, instead of standing out in the freezing cold on a Tuesday afternoon watching a posse of rag cladded sheep try to snuff out all the problems China is causing in the world by displaying their less than mediocre ability to man (or woman) a fire extinguisher, enjoy the games with your fellow countrymen. Hope that your nation, at the games, kicks the ass of a rival nation if it pleases you. If you can't beat 'em, clam up and shut them down in '12.
- A.W., San Francisco, USA
Personally it seems like you Brits have a lot of free time on your hands to be wasting: Calling out on a few boroughs worth of bobbies and a few 'hoods worth of neighbours to play "Red Rover" over a glorified zippo.
I poke fun but really folks, this is such a pathetic display of a protest that IS addressing so many important, but unrelated, issues. There's obviously a lot of reason to support awareness of the oh-so-many atrocities perpetrated by our many corrupt regimes in the world today, and the ones we've seen throughout history.
But during the Olympics?
Come on! Granted, it's in bad taste to perpetuate any Nazi inspired ritual anywhere outside of Chicago, but at the end of the day, the Olympics is just a sporting event. A sporting event. Where on this side of the pond you maybe watch a couple games to your liking and if victory is yours, you throw back a cold one. Supporters and protesters of these Olympics alike: how is this the proper venue in which to be slinging mud at one another? Is that a new event they've added to the IFs alongside the 'My Pretty Pony Pagent' (Dressage) and what is it, plate spinning? ...not that I take the games themselves that seriously. I'm sure I'm not alone amongst all of the other countries (mine included) that ship off our local sporting heroes to partake in these games.
- A.W., San Francisco, USA
I took part in peaceful demonstrations in London, but not to disrupt it. Most others felt the same way.
China promised to improve Human Rights when the Olympic games were awarded. However the events in the last few years demonstrate otherwise:
China has increased the crackdown on internal dissidents. For example the recent conviction by a Chinese court of long-time HIV/AIDS activist and rights defender Hu Jia.
Organ harvesting and related extra judicial executions in Chinese labour camps. This is to supply transplants to foreign and wealthy Chinese clients as demonstrated in a BBC investigation. In fact executions at prisons were steeped up to meet excess demand in the nearby transplant hospital.
Ethic cleansing and cultural genocide of minorities, mainly Tibetans and Uyghurs in rural provinces in the west of China. This has taken place since the 1950s with the loss of 1.5m Tibetean lives.
Lack of general political freedom. The Communist party bosses have accumulated huge sums of money by using brute state power on the voiceless - land grabs, forced deportation are good example. These methods have also been used for developing the Olympic Village in Beijing.
- A Singh, London
On television last night we saw the police knock a TV cameraman down and then start kicking him. We also saw Beijing guards attack people as the police looked on.
But these days the UK government is so similar to the Beijing government, that we shouldn't be surprised.
- Stan White, Worcestershire
Why do you not protest against mass assassination carried out by your soldiers in IRAQ, Afghanistan and Palestine. White are biased and stupid. Nothing will happen. Tibetians are not bhuddhists but BULL****S.
- Jo, Mauritius
The only shame belongs to those who decided to kow-tow to the IOC and a Chinese government which has a human rights record as bad as any nation on earth.
However, for our government to oppose this would be to put at risk valuable trade contracts, and those are evidently far more important than the lives put at risk by the actions of China's bandit government.
If taking a moral stand in this matter were to endanger London's 2012 games, the entire population of London would heave a collective sigh of relief.
- Warren, London
Disgraceful.
The actions of our police as well as the Chinese "special forces" being allowed to operate in Britain.
How come the govt. can find all these police officers for this yet day in-day out there's no police presence in London?
And how do they get away with such thuggery to innocent protesters, yet they do nothing about the violent gangs robbing Londoners everyday?
It really shows the Govt. have made the police into their own private force of thugs and that they (govt) don't give two hoots about the people who pay taxes and their lives.
- Billybob, London
And what about the 1 million local Beijing / Peking Chinese forcibly removed from their homes which are then demolished without compensation to make way for the various Olympic venues and tourist accommodations? I'm sure that they would like to protest too - but they are not allowed to. If they did they would be imprisoned, tortured and even executed. In comparison the protest about the expansion and demolition of Sipson village near Heathrow seems like a garden party in comparison.
- Chris Brady, Harlington, Middx, UK
This problem, start in Tibet, cause of China brutal acts. They are ruling Tibet with out public consent, they are ruling like rape. Like child abuse. No equality and rights.
- Warazyn, Yangon, Burma.
I don't even know why they have the Olympic flame. This was dreamed up by the Nazis and first used in the 1936 Olympics?
Are Tessa Harman and Harriet Jowell sisters, they really could stand in for each other at some of these events. Come to that I think all these Blair "babes" are clones, they should have called them stepford blairs.
- Simon Payton, London, UK
In no way does it make us or our government silly. Ok, one could argue that sport and freedom are two separate matters to be dealt with in different ways. However this is making it clear that Tibet is suffering and the rest of the world should know this (including the Chinese population!).
- William Helsby, Oxford
It is sad to see that England is so bad at applying its old skills of pomp and pageantry at modern events.
Forget fights with shabbily dressed protesters what is really sad about the ceremony is the inclusion of all these celebrities, pot-bellied "has beens" of the sports world, shell suits and beat bobbies on bicycles.
Really very lame. I am not saying we start copying the Nazi pageantry of the Berlin games - but come on something a little more special, something a little more rousing and a little less grey, sad and tawdry.
- Chung Yung, London
The protest ors are great hypocrites. Thousands of children and women are killed in Iraq and Afghanistan because of American and European occupation. Thousands of children and women were killed in Palestine by Israeli soldiers armed with high tech weapons supplied by Western countries. So what human right they are talking about.
- Yik Choo, Perth, Australia
On behalf of all of those with no voice, thank you London.
"Those who profess to favour freedom, yet deprecate agitation, are men who want crops without ploughing up the ground. They want rain without thunder and lightening. They want the ocean without the awful roar of its many waters.
This struggle may be a moral one; or it may be a physical one; or it may be both moral and physical; but it must be a struggle. Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will."
Frederick Douglas
American Abolitionist
- Duncan Fraser, Kathmandu, Nepal
So the IOC only has "serious concerns" about what is happening in Tibet when its torch is publicly extinguished - not when it decides which country should hold the Olympics in the first place!
- Roz, Chamonix, France
Wow, this is amazing, that protesters could have been able to freeze the fire running. Its going to be another long 4 months or so to continue this.
And its just amazing that the Tibeten flag has been banned in China.
- Brett, United States
Why do we have members of the Chinese security service duffing up protesters on our streets? Just why?
- Mark, London
I take it the police have solved all the burglaries, muggings, rapes and murders if they can spare that many staff to participate in what is essentially a publicity stunt for the largest commercial sports brand in the world.
- Hans, Duesseldorf
Well...only goes to show that a certain section of the people are ready to look silly in order to support another man kudos!
To those who say that the Olympics has been targeted wrongly, sports is the greatest equaliser. It should not help only the strong and the cruel.
- Subho, Bangalore, INDIA
I was at Ladbroke Grove right at the start of the running route. The arrangements were farcical, there was a security barrier on the wrong side of the street, the Police had no idea what was going on and when the torch did pass it was so surrounded with guards that you couldn't actually see it. The key problem was that the Police did not close the road in advance or set up any barriers.
I was shocked at the violent overreaction by the Police who seemed to be panicking, and this was even before the Huq incident. Anyone who shouted anything about Tibet was manhandled and restrained until the torch had gone by even if they were standing back from the runners, and I saw flags and placards being pulled down by Police - so much for the right to protest!
- Simon, London
Eatsee, Hong Kong, you'd be surprised just how many people in England would be very happy for an independent Scotland, Ireland and Wales (and England north of The Wash to be honest!) Gibraltar and the Falklands are different as - it's called democracy, and the populations there want to be part of Britain - as would a lot of people in Hong Kong.
- Paul, London
Nice to see rent-a-mob back. I thought most if them had retired.
- Bj, London
I was actually quite proud of the protests, and don't think it made us look bad at all...quite the contrary in fact. But the coppers, government and Chinese did look bad.
All those that took part in the relay should be ashamed for being part of an event intended to make an odious totalitarian, corrupt regime look good.
You cannot separate politics from sport...that is just a cop-out intended to assuage guilt. True conscience would not allow participation. I am particularly disappointed by Clive Woodward's role.
As for the comment by Yingda in Beijing "...it is one of the best governments in the world indeed". You are either a government stooge, stupid or just brainwashed...if it is the last, then I kind of feel sorry for you.
- Zaphod, London
We should boycott and give back the London Olympics in protest.
Please!
- Mike James, Swansea
China is a very dangerous country and we should think carefully before we buy Chinese products. I can see a time in the not so distant future when China tries to dominate and rule the rest of the world in the way it does with Tibet.
- Anthony, London
Now see that's where London went wrong - it forgot the 65 motorcycles! Can't wait to see the photos from Paris this evening, haha.
- Marianne, SW France
I cannot see for one moment how Tessa Jowell thinks the demonstrations in London were a good thing and a free expression of democracy, when the police behaved in such a heavy handed and over the top way. I ve no doubt that those arrested yesterday had dna samples taken by the police and will now be on the dna database for life, even though they committed no crime: So lets be honest Jowell, free expression is no longer allowed in Britain?
- Josh, London
Typical the French managed to extinguish the flame and not us - we're far too reserved about things which is why this country is such a mess.
- Jennifer Whittaker, London
I feel sorry for the policemen who had to unexpectedly run a marathon to escort this farce! Especially as the government has given them such a miserable pay rise.
- James, London, UK
Well, this is just typical of British efficiency and sends a diabolical message to the world in respect of what's in store for the 2012 Olympics in London!
- Fraser, Telford Park
"Resembling the US Presidential bodyguard....." A typical British statement to try tom deflect the blame from them. When did the US Presidential bodyguard dress up in blue and yellow and run and allow foreigners to be part of the bodyguard?
- Frank, England
The shape of things to come and guess what we are all going to be paying for it! Land of hope and glory what a joke!
- Fly, london
Roll on 2012 it should be quite entertaining.
- Stephen D., London, England
Why on earth does the person who wrote this article assume a "combination of sinister and slapstick which did Britain no favours in the eyes of the world" for if the author had any knowledge of foreign views he/she should know that it is precisely such demonstrations of freedom and liberty that make Britain and the values that the British people fight for the envy of the world!
- Anthony, Dublin
I thought you were referring to the new sport where members of the police force team knock down members of the ITN camera crew team and then kick them while they're on the floor. I saw this special report on ITN's main news last night. The ITN cameraman was knocked to the ground by the police TWICE. On the second occasion he was filming their boots coming in to give him a good kicking.
As an interesting experiment, try googling for this event, i.e., "ITN cameraman attacked" I found a couple of results, a couple of blog entries. Amazing how "news" can simply disappear off the radar, isn't it.
Police brutality caught on film? "Nothing to see here, move along".
- Dr Susan Porter, London
The police is not so good anymore. I think the new government should completely re-organize the British police and fire the current managers who are way too close to the Nu Labor soft-on-crime cliques. This can only happen after elections I guess, which Mr. Bean Brown does not call because he is un-electable.
- Gordon, London
What is embarrassing and farcical is our current government. When you are not given a voice it's perfectly natural to protest - so Gordon, beware!
- Marianne, SW France
I was disappointed they didn't manage to extinguish the flame with a fire extinguisher. To hell with the Olympics.
- Neil, london UK
All evil regimens use the innocent and naive. Adolph Hitler did it in 1936 and 72 years later China is doing exactly what German tyrant did; using a peace and harmonious platform as propaganda both internally as well externally. Our prime minister and our Athletes behaved like a crass idiots letting themselves be used for an ideal of Chinese tyranny. As for Tessa Jowell we know how naive she is, as she has shown her ineptitude for competency over the last few years. The IOC claim they have no political ideals but 135 members one cannot pretend there are no ideals or better still subversions. If this was true how could the IOC be so stupid as to award the the games to countries such as China. Iran next followed by Zimbabwe I presume.
How London ended up with the games in 2012 god only knows as the majority of Londoners were and are still against hosting such an event. Lets get our own infrastructure right before we handle an extra 2 million people.
- Alexis Dogilewski, London, England
The morally correct stance should have been to boycott not only the torch ceremony but the games themselves. China has an appalling human rights record. But then so does Saudi Arabia, Burma, Turkey, North Korea, most African States, most Middle-Eastern states, most south American states. The USA isn't exactly a bastien of good example with its policy of rendition and then neither are we with our proposed 42 days detention with out trial. Our Government's reneging on a referendum for the EU treaty is a poor example of good democracy.
- Adam, Harrow, UK
I can't see what's such a disgrace. I am proud to acknowledge that the protests show that the people of the UK are unwilling to quietly accept the outrageous situation in Tibet. I would have been more disappointed if the whole thing had gone to plan.
- Spike, High Wycombe
These Chinese "flame attendants" are specially-trained military police from Beijing. It's widely reported in the Chinese / Hong Kong media and not exactly a mystery
- David, London
This was an important event and was great for London, but was not covered by BBC Sport. Instead-BBC News 24 turned a milestone activity for London into 12 hr repetitive rolling news coverage of scuffles, arrests, civil disobedience, ministerial propaganda from the Culture Secretary, plus yellow jacketed police swamping the torch and crowding everywhere you blinking well looked!
Long live the flame and let us but hope that this is not what we can expect in 2012!
- William Grierson, Kimpton, UK
A grim and sad day for London and for Britain in general. This farce will live in the memory long after the games themselves.
Anyone notice how apparently embarrassed everyone was - from Brown ("I did not touch the torch!" - but he stood outside No 10 for the photo call, of course.) downwards. Livingstone looked distinctly worried about being directly associated with the whole fiasco - as he darn well should. And Harman has clearly lost it completely.
- Chuck Unsworth, London
So this is democracy in the new millennium.
Just what are the Olympics all about? Who is actually interested in athletics? Big business and power mongers, that's who.
And stuck in the middle. Our bewildered and spineless government.
- Andy T, London
Nobody has said or asked if these Chinese security men were armed.
- Sean, London
Oh c'mon: it involved such public dignitaries as the Sugarbabes and a former Blue Peter present (not even current!) - it was a farce long before the protesters turned up!
Just another Labour attempt at Cool Britannia gone wrong because the electorate is not as dim as it's elected representatives.
- Roz, Chamonix, France
"This is deeply damaging to the Government. We just look silly don't we?"
Yes, but the British people look good, for once we actually got of our fat posteriors and protested about something. The apathy for causes in this country since Labour came to power and started ignoring the voice of the general public has gone through the roof, it's nice to see a bit of action for a change.
- Vic Toryismine, Twickenham
The police also forced demonstrators to remove pro-Tibetan T-shirts and confiscated Tibetan flags. Why?
- Austen, London
As one of the billions Chinese, let me tell you clearly I love my government a lot. In my view, it is one of the best governments in the world indeed. Over the past 50 years, it saves China and makes her out of fate as your colony and improved Chinese life a lot although there were many mistakes made in past(but only god who will not make any mistake). We trust it much better than trust your west who invaded China and forced Chinese to buy drugs hundreds years ago. We did not believe what you are promoting and everything you did to humiliating Chinese have any goodwill to Chinese. You are horrible for your prejudge and arrogance.
- Yingda, Beijing, China
What if people rally for "free Ireland", free" Northern Ireland", "free Scotland", "Braveheart vs Britain", "free Isle of Man", "free Guernsey", "shame of Britain on Falkland", "give Falkland back to Falklanders", "give Ireland back to the Irish", "get out of Gilbratar"? together with all the human right violations in Northern Ireland with numerous killings and assassinations in Belfast in the 2012 London Olympic? Don't ruin the Olympic by any political means.
- Eatsee, Hong Kong
To claim that the Olympics has nothing to do with politics is absolutely ridiculous. The Olympics are all about competition between states and ideologies.
Hitler used the Berlin Olympics as a showcase to justify the ideology of Aryan superiority to the German People.
The States of the Warsaw Pact used their Olympic athletes to showcase the superiority of the Communist system to their own oppressed populations.
Now China is using the Olympics to show its people that the world accepts China and its dysfunctional political system.
How some deluded individuals can somehow argue that which country has the best plate thrower (Discus), stick lobber (Javelin), or who looks prettiest on a horse (Dressage) or any of the other silly games are more important than mass murder to exploit resources (Sudan),enslavement and genocide of minority culture (Burma) or wholesale religious and cultural oppression (Tibet) is beyond comprehension.
The banality of the fading minor celebs who have chosen to participate is completely understandable. So wrapped are they in their own self importance and desire for the limelight some of them even appear in "reality" tv shows.
If perhaps they had experienced the reality of Chinas impact on these oppressed communities they might have thought twice about participating in this circus.
I think many of them are sitting at home today realising that their participation was a pretty stupid idea.
- Kampunghighlander, Jakarta, Indonesia
The only cheap thing here is athletes such as Steve Redgrave prepared to put peoples lives as cheap compared to sport which is only about winning a medal. surely lives are more important, Stevie?
- Huw Wyn, uk
So this must render Britain "clueless" in the eyes of the world!
No doubt many potential foreign tourists will now be heading for the sun for their holidays in 2012 rather than the likely farcical Olympics in London!
- Fraser, Telford Park
