Posted on 04/08/2008 8:50:44 AM PDT by ninonitti
The head of London's 2012 Games described as "horrible" the burly henchmen who barged their way through the capital, shoving the public and even police out of the way.
His trenchant remarks followed those of former Blue Peter presenter and torchbearer Konnie Huq, who revealed the Chinese minders barked orders at her and pushed her arm up to hold the flame higher.
Sunday's scenes, which were repeated in France yesterday, brought accusations that Britain had imported Chinese police state tactics to control the supposedly showcase relay.
Lord Coe made his remarks during a conference phone call, which unknown to him, was being recorded by a Channel 4 reporter who had been put through accidentally.
Referring to the Chinese security guards, who were in France yesterday with the torch on the next leg of its world tour, he said: "One thing in Paris is to get rid of those guys. They tried to push me out of the way three times. They are horrible. They did not speak English. They were thugs."
Wearing blue tracksuits, the 14 minders surrounded the symbolic flame, pushing anyone who tried to get near, as it was relayed 31 miles across London.
Miss Huq, one of 80 torchbearers said: "The men in blue perplexed everyone. Nobody seemed to know who they were officially or what their title was. They were very robotic, very full on, and I noticed them having skirmishes with our own police and the Olympic authorities before our leg of the relay, which was confusing.
"They were barking orders at me, like 'Run! Stop!' and I was like, 'Oh my gosh, who are these people?'
"They kept pushing my hand up higher when I was holding the torch, so they were...interesting."
Miss Huq was nearly knocked to the ground by a protester as thousands of campaigners disrupted the procession to demonstrate against China's human rights abuses and brutality in Tibet.
It was reported the men have been recruited from Chinese special forces brigades. Some came from the feared Flying Dragons and rthe Sword of Flying Dragons counter-terror units.
The International Olympic Committee is considering whether to scrap the international leg of the Beijing torch relay after intense protests in London and Paris.
IOC president Jacques Rogge admitted the issue will be discussed by the organization's executive board on Friday.
Mr Rogge said he was "deeply saddened" by the violent protests and expressed concern about the torch relay in San Francisco.
He added:"This is something that obviously has to be discussed by the executive board."
Asked whether the continuation of the international relay was certain, he said: "I'm not saying whether it is certain or not.
"There will be a discussion of the executive board on the torch relay but I attach on that absolutely no speculation whatsoever."
Yesterday, there was still mystery over the Chinese minders. Matt Whitticase, of the Free Tibet Campaign, said: "Who authorised them? They should have no jurisdiction on the streets of Britain.
"It is a very creepy snapshot of Chinese security coming to London. The whole thing reminded people of what policing is like in China."
The Greater London Authority, which coorganised the event, said: "They were brought over by the Beijing organising committee. They were the responsibility of Beijing."
A spokesman insisted it was the British Olympic Association which was responsible for dealing with the Chinese.
But the BOA's spokesman said: "They were nothing to do with us. The relationship they had with the Met and the GLA was the responsibility of the GLA."
The Met Police said the Chinese guards had "no executive powers" in Britain and were simply there to protect the torch.
Privately, police were said to be furious as officers were made to look ridiculous, jogging along in cycle helmets and holding hands to form a chain around the bearers.
MPs said the fiasco made Britain a laughing stock. But Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell said: "I don't think it made us look bad. The police did the best job they could."
Yesterday the mayhem continued in Paris. Security officials extinguished the torch four times before putting it in a bus for the final stages.
In San Francisco, tomorrow's destination, pro-Tibet campaigners last night scaled the Golden Gate Bridge to unfurl banners.
The Olympic torch was extinguished four times today before a relay through Paris was abruptly aborted by Chinese officials.
The round-the-world tour descended into French farce the day after extraordinary scenes in London.
In Britain protestors tried to put out the legendary flame with Chinese "heavies" keeping them at bay, but in Paris it was police who snuffed out the flame four times for "security reasons" - once because a group of demonstrators began booing.
A police spokesman said: "We had no choice. There were so many protestors threatening a public disturbance that it was no longer practical to keep it on a public road."
Chinese organisers finally decided to pull the plug on the public relations disaster two miles from the end of what was supposed to be an 18-mile route, bundling the torch onto a bus outside the National Assembly to be driven to a sports stadium.
The propane-fuelled flame is a crucial symbol of the history of the Olympics and is traditionally kept alight until the closing ceremony of the Games.
Campaigners for independence for Tibet were protesting against human rights violations by the Chinese, claiming Beijing was unfit to stage this summer's Olympics.
There were at least ten arrests after thousands of demonstrators poured into Paris.
And the first incident came minutes after the relay began at the Eiffel Tower when a Paris city councillor lunged at gold-medal winning torchbearer Stephane Diagana.
Green Party member Sylvain Garel shouted �Freedom for the Chinese� as he attempted to grab the torch from the former hurdler.
The next disturbance happened barely 200 yards along the Left Bank of the Seine, with the torch put out and placed aboard a bus.
What appeared to be a panic decision was clearly an embarrassment to the French authorities who had put 3,000 police onto the streets, with 20 riot police vans and more officers on motorbikes and even rollerblades accompanying the Olympic cortege.
From then on, the procession advanced painfully slowly, stopping and starting as police checked for security risks.
The flame was reignited and then put out a further three times.
At least two activists got within almost an arm's length of the flame before they were grabbed by police, and one protestor got close enough to throw water at the torch.
Less than an hour after the flame left the Eiffel Tower, it was being carried out of a traffic tunnel by a woman athlete in a wheelchair when the procession was halted by activists who booed and chanted �Free Tibet.�
Once again, the torch was extinguished and put on a bus.
The third time, security officials apparently interrupted the procession because they spotted demonstrators ahead.
After the torch was put back on the bus, protesters threw rotten eggs, plastic bottles, cups and pieces of bread at the vehicle and at a male wheelchair-bound athlete.
The torch disappeared back inside the bus a fourth time shortly after a protester approached it with a fire extinguisher near the Louvre art museum.
Police grabbed the demonstrator before he could start to spray.
I wonder if they're bringing this act to the US? Coming soon to a Walmart near you?
Many FReepers may not know: Lord Coe is a multiple Gold Medallist (800, 1500m IIRC) and a Conservative peer.
Boycott the games.
REAL sports are baseball, football, hockey, and basketball.
NOT equestrian riding and fencing.
Well, rewarding China with an Olympics is not enough. Now we have to allow them to send police forces into foreign lands to keep their particular brand of repression alive and kicking.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Oh no, it's all just a big misunderstanding. They're our friends now, capitalists would never do such a thing.
I intend to. I will not watch any broadcasts, podcasts or streaming of the games.
I didn't like the decision to give them the Olympics. But judging by the news of the last few days, the decision seems to be doing the Chinese regime more harm than good. It might even be useful to have Chinese security thugs doing their thing in London in front of the cameras.
Beyond that I haven't given a flip about the Olympics in decades.
Sheesh. Sounds like a Peter Sellers movie.
BUMP!
Yup, the Greeks were pretty much into those.
Why not arrest one of these “minders” en-route, hold him for the allowed period of time, find out who they are, and see who comes to pick them up???
As a reasonably competitive (I am getting old) powerlifter and wrestler, I would respectfully disagree.
Gee, what about the world’s oldest sport, Wrestling, doesn’t that count?
These incidents in London and Paris are China-writ-small. Everything you need to know about the mindset of China is found in those small events. Ugly Americans? How about Ugly Chinese? At least “ugly” Americans engage in a conversation. The Ugly Chinese just shove you aside while they make their coarse and phony pronouncements by holding the torch high.
That Gordon Brown and Sarkosy will essentially do nothing about these episodes, nor recognize their larger significance, I think we can safely say they are equally amoral toads comfortably squatting on their respective spots in the political swamp.
OK, I’ll concede those...boxing, too.
Hey, in high school and college I had a fastball that went 84-85 MPH and a curve that if I hung it right was unhittable. Trouble was I only had it for an inning, maybe an inning and a third. I was a good closer, though.
I doubt if I could get one up to the plate now - let alone across it, hehehe.
Ping
Looks like the concept of "the buck never stops here" is alive and well in the once proud home of the Magna Carta...
I liked baseball, but I am very tall (closer to 7 than 6 feet) and a large guy in general, so my strike zone was absurd.
I did play a mean 2nd base, though.
I am enjoying beer and popcorn as this DemoRat/leftist/communist fiasco plays out.
Hopefully, the Chinese commies will sue Gavin Nuisance, and make it last even longer. The damage done to the lefties and the government entity of San Francisco is well deserved and long in coming.
I seem to be ahead of the curve here. I have done so since 1992, when "political correctness" took over and "sports" events added that had no connection -- none--- whatsoever with the classic definition of sports.
I am (sarcastically) waiting for "Skateboarding for Gay Rights" to be introduced to the Olympic Games...
Wrestling is one of the most demanding and difficult sports there is. Whew. I am getting exhausted just thinking of it. Especially if you are evenly matched with an opponent.
Former Sec Def Rumsfeld was a wrestler, and a good one, too. That makes sense.
Hooah!!!!!!!!!
Just WOW...:)
I think the “emperor” hit the drugs early today, forgot the “/sarc” tag, or is moving deeper into the Dark Side...
“in Paris it was police who snuffed out the flame four times for “security reasons” - once because a group of demonstrators began booing.”
HaHa, the French even surrender in the face of booing.
“NOT equestrian riding and fencing.”
Umph! and those are the best Olympic sports. Don’t forget synchronized swimming and basket weaving.
bless you, Little Pig. Bless You.....
“REAL sports are baseball, football, hockey, and basketball.
NOT equestrian riding and fencing”
or water ballet; or how ‘bout that silly gymnastics thing they do now with sticks with scarves tied to the end of ‘em???
Well, fencing is an AMAZING sport. I suggest you re-examine your dismissal of it.
Thank you very much.
I’m now very interested in whatever sport Konnie competes in.
PS, My Sig Sauer P226 trumps any sword.........
GUILTY!!! VERY GUILTY!!!
I need to make sure I get this right. So, we’re ok with hooligans and the dregs of society being uncivilized nuisances with the Olympic flame . . . when no doubt the same thing would be happening right now were the games to be held in say, Los Angeles?
I thought the point of the Olympics was that people should be able to get along in a civilized matter no matter what their politics.
China got the games. Get over it. This is like the moonbats still protesting about Florida 2000.
Good for the Chinese in that at least they have some nuts and are willing to stand up to the decaying West’s losers.
So you'd okay with the 1936 olympics theme of a totalitarian state standing up to it's losers?
I don't see where it takes nuts to roll tanks over unarmed protesters or shoot nuns and monks but hey maybe we should invite them over to exterminate the moonbats and losers here.
Ooh Rah Little Pig!
Several sports come to mind...none of them Olympic...yet.
I thought the point of the Olympic Games was to be a huge PR coupe for the hosting nation. That’s how China is using it.
We won't put you at any puissance or anything like an Olympic level jump -- just a 3' hunter course. If you can (1) steer her; (2) stop her; (3) clear TWO fences and (4) stay on her back, I'll give you my Pariani jumping saddle.
I can do it, but I've been riding 45 years.
Or, alternatively, you can fence an epee bout with my hubby. Warning: he's a leftie.
Oh the joys of the long hot summer month of August, the stage is set for the commie Olympics and Democrat Convention.
Soccer is a great sport for girls
Well, I looked at the pictures of the fetchingly beautiful Ms. Huq. And I'm not gonna say it. Nope. I'm gonna be a good boy.
I'll hate it, but I'm gonna be good. :D
I hardly think Ian the unemployed professional protestor from Leeds, Francois the student activist from St. Elais, or Rainbow the ELF member from the Castro are exactly standing up to Hitler these days, do you? (They’re protesting to defend Hitler aka the Ayatollah these days.)
Ian, Francois, and Rainbow can be found on any given Saturday protesting American pre-emptive war, trade deals with Chile, or decreases in their unemployment checks. That the Chinese has the sense to try to . . . heaven forbid . . . defend the torch seems like common sense.
I didn’t see anything in the news about the Chinese sending tanks or nun-shooters to London or Paris. You want to mix politics and the Olympics, say sayonara to the U.S. in the Olympics. We’re not exactly high on the nutcases’ lists these days. Here in the U.S. the Pink ladies and dudes are attacking recruitment centers and FREEPERS are all over the authorities for standing by and doing nothing. I say that having 14 dudes defend the Olympic torch shows nuts . . . letting professional losers trash recruitment centers shows emasculation.
Just like every other Olympic host nation.
I choose not to characterize actions which would be entirely reasonable if I did them as tarnished or dirty just because someone else I may have unrelated problems with does it. Just me, but I think doing so is intellectually dishonest and is unecessarily antagonistic.
Now I see it just the opposite way......having to display force in the face of opposition betrays insecurity while showing restraint in the face of protest shows strength and maturity.
The Chinese thuggery (todays count of the security group is now 30)is an example of what Chinese face in China everyday if they don't toe the party line. Olympics or not it's still a one party totalitarian state.
No problem.
OK! Meet ya at the barn!
I didn't do that so I don't have a problem. ; )
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