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've seen paramilitary troops with magazine fed rifles manning night-time road blocks with a dozen or more armed cops years before the Olympics. (I have no clue what they were going to do with those rifles - having running firefights with motorists?) Maybe the unusual thing is personnel in cop uniforms - as opposed to army camouflage uniforms - with magazine-fed rifles.