Posted on 07/19/2008 2:00:56 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
Candid Camera: Severe Atmosphere, Beijing Police Patrol with Assault Weapons for First Time
By Boxun
Jul 18, 2008 - 3:09:14 PM
With less than 20 days until the Olympics, Beijing's streets have seen an increase in Peoples Armed Police in full riot gear, police with special duties and regular beat police. The police are carrying semi-automatic assault weapons for the first time. From the grim expressions on these policemen's faces, it is clear that they are prepared for a surprise attack. Beijing citizens expressed to Boxun that not even after the military crackdown in Tiananmen Square in 1989 did police take to the streets with machine guns, it feels like they are confronting a mortal enemy and has the feeling of a war zone like Iraq.
According to our news sources, in the whole-hearted commitment to hosting a safe and secure Olympics, these police are given an opportunity to play with these guns. At different times Beijing has declared that they would host a "Green Olympics," "Humane Olympics," "Science and Technology Olympics," and "Good Luck Beijing." None of these slogans were ever raised again. A "Secure and Peaceful Olympics" has superceded all, with slogans about security dominating streets. For all these years, the mainland's masses have become accustomed to expecting the opposite of the propaganda in mainstream media. These phenomena indicate that the Olympics may be anything but secure and peaceful.
In a related news item, it has been reported that in order to accommodate all these armed police, scientific institutions have been cleared out. In one scientific research institution, more than 800 armed police are being billeted.
Ping!
So what’s the big deal? All police here carry semiautomatic weapons. So so I when I’m carrying.
What do would we expect them to carry? Slingshots?
The police are carrying semi-automatic assault weapons for the first time.
I wonder how that information was obtained. Must not be too bad if you can saunter up to a cop and ask, "is that a real assault weapon or just a semi-auto model?"
Are those first two characters something like “peaceful and secure” or a reference to Beijing or what?
Well, in the balance between Liberty and Security, they've certainly made their choice well-known. Totalitarian states are generally quite peaceful!
Sadly, far too many people, world-wide, would choose Security over Freedom in almost every case.
NOTE: Looks like poor trigger-discipline in photo #4.
I dunno, from the looks of that young lady, she might whip out a rabid "Hello Kitty" on us any second...
Really, I don't mind seeing the extra security for our folks visiting in China. We all know that their military police have had plenty of practice shooting in the area...
I’ve been hanging around Beijing for over a month now and have seen just one armed officer—that was in Shanghai next to a cash station that was being filled with cash. There are plenty of police around Beijing, but if their armed at all, I can’t tell. Maybe things are different up by the Olympic village, but the places I’ve been seem totally benign.
Are you in Beijing right now? I am, and I haven’t seen a single AK-47 on any street corner. I haven’t been on every street corner, so it’s possible there may be one somewhere, but I haven’t seen a one since arriving in Beijing over a month ago.
My goodness, no. I’m just an honest observer. You don’t want me to lie, do you? You don’t want to spread or act on false information do you?
I’m an American and I have no “betters.” I simply dispute the many of the claims of the stories. There are no ak-47s on every street corner, though I’m sure there are some on some street corners. I think I would hope for the same if the Olympics were held in the U.S. Moreover, it is not the case that all outdoor restaurants are being banned or that blacks are not being served.
I’m not a commie tool or anything like that. I’m just trying to report and explain what I see here.
The photos with cops armed with assault weapons appear to be near some subway station or something, from the look of it.
So do you think the report is highlighting the fact that police(at least some of them) started to brandish assault weapons openly for the first time? That may be what the article wants to come across, and it is used as an indication of massive security presence intensifying. I heard that locals put up with long lines at the subway stations during their daily commute. Some well-to-do folks reportedly skipped the town altogether, trying to get away from hassles.
Probably because of that, ordinary Chinese are more sensitive to react to this kind of scene, unlike visitors. You must have no visa problem or accommodations. I hear other reports saying that some foreigners were kicked out and many have troubling getting in. Are you a journalist covering Olympic game?
I’m just a tourist visiting friends here. I’ve heard there are some problems for people (Chinese and western alike) trying to enter the city. There are apparently some roadblocks out there and people have been delayed coming to work. As far as the subway goes, we’ve had no trouble at all. Easy on, easy off, though if you have a large bag they’ll ask you to run it through the x-ray.
I am staying in the city, just inside the 4th ring road. I also should say that I haven’t tried to take the subway to the Olympic area, though we’ve driven by it without trouble.
I keep waiting for some problem to happen—but so far all is smooth sailing here.
I don’t wish to convince you or anyone. I’m just reporting what I’ve seen and experienced over the past month. You can believe whatever you like.
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