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Torch Bouncers
By Michelle | April 12, 2008
The plethora of news stories documenting the recent disruptions to the Olympic torch relay have illustrated the various ways that Western cities has chosen to deal with the arrival of the flame. After being accosted in London and Paris and diverted in San Francisco, the torch actually received a relatively peaceful welcome in Argentina.
However, the difficulties of arranging the relays and the costs associated with these preparations have caused commentators to speculate that this may be the last Olympic torch relay to traverse the globe. I don’t suppose this is a legacy that Beijing would want to leave behind. As perhaps a visual representation of Chinese politics, this year’s torch has been accompanied with a large cadre of Chinese security forces, called “elite troops” by one Australian news site and “Olympic thugs” others including UK’s Sky News.
Recently, some cities along the torch route have decided to reject these Chinese guards. Australian Prime Minister Rudd said this week that China’s “tracksuited paramilitaries” would be confined to a bus, which they could leave only if the flame was extinguished and needed relighting. Mr Rudd explained the decision to the Chinese Premier, Wen Jiabao, during their meeting in Beijing. Likewise, Japan’s National police chief Shinya Izumi has said that security in Nagano would be “firmly maintained” by Japanese police, adding: “We do not know what position the people who escorted the relay are in… If they are for the consideration of security, it is our role.”
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The Olympic torch will be carried through the Australian capital of Canberra on April 24, followed by the Japanese city of Nagano on April 26. India is also considering whether or not to allow Chinese security forces to run alongside the torch when it arrives in New Delhi (image source: thisislondon.co.uk) |
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Topics: East Asia, In the News |