(London Olympic organizing committee chairman) Coe breaks silence on London riots

Fox Sports ^ | 11 Aug

[flowerplough]

London Olympic organizing committee chairman Sebastian Coe said there are ''lessons to be learned'' from the recent rioting in the British capital.

Coe spoke publicly Thursday about the riots for the first time since violence broke out in north London on Saturday.

BRITAIN RIOTS •Sebastian Coe weighs in •Organizers go ahead with test events •Tottenham Hotspurs opener delayed •Concern for 2012 Games •Soccer matches called off

''There are lessons to be learned," Coe said, "and over the next year, we will continue our contingency plans. They will deal with all sorts of things including public disorder.''

The four days of rioting in London and other British cities has not affected any Olympic venues.

Although several soccer matches, including England's friendly with the Netherlands, have been canceled or postponed because of the unrest, Olympic test events have gone ahead with very little problems.

The world badminton championships, being played at Wembley Arena in northwest London, have been unaffected, but the first day of the beach volleyball competition at Horse Guards Parade in central London on Tuesday was stopped a few hours early to allow everyone to get home before dark.

Other scheduled test events this week include a cycling road race that will go through the streets of London on Sunday and a marathon swimming competition at Hyde Park on Saturday.

The closest the violence came to the Olympic Park was on Monday when rioting spread to Hackney, about four miles from the site that includes the main Olympic Stadium and other key venues.

[Truth29]

Maybe we can establish a new sport, Olympic Riot Control with extra points for execution and innovation.

[longtermmemmory]

so much for “we rely on consent”

[comebacknewt]

I know Coe was a Conservative MP once upon a time.

I wonder if he has aspirations of possibly becoming Prime Minister some day?

[twistedwrench]

[dfwgator]

Brilliant!

[ml/nj]

"Anyone caught in an act of public violence and convicted of any related offense will be ineligible for any form of public assistance (The Dole) for five years following his release from prison."

(Probably more effective than water cannons!)

ML/NJ

[KarlInOhio]

The last few legs of the torch rally will be with molotov cocktails which will be lobbed at the cauldron to light it during the opening ceremony.

[353FMG]

I all but forgot that London will host the next Olympics. Great platform for rioters to vent their “grievances”.

The time will come that Beijing will be the only place where the Olympic games can be held, peacefully.

[353FMG]

And what do you think will happen during those five years?

Probably a direct invitation and acceptance to convert to Islam.

Can’t win, can you?

[SuziQ]

Hubby just told me that one of the British athletes, who is one of the Olympic ‘Ambassadors’, was taking part in the riots. Her parents saw her on TV, and dropped a dime on her to the cops. They were appalled about what she was doing!! She was arrested, and methinks this will end her Olympic dreams.

[Niuhuru]

Well, that, or Russia, or any of the countries left on this planet that actually punishes those who act out like this and does not have an ingrained welfare culture. If something happens to a team from a foreign country, there will be diplomatic repercussions since it would be an attack on a foreign citizenry.