A rally protesting the Beijing Games, and a focus on security for the Games, highlights the news ahead of the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympic Games.
Twenty-four cyclists from the Regional Tibetan Youth Congress (RYTC) kicked off a rally in Beijing Sunday. The cyclists, supported by 15 crew members, will cover 260 km in seven days to convey their message of “boycott 2008 Olympics in China”.
Organizers are also initiating a signature campaign during the rally to garner support.
The rally will end in Jantar-Mantar New Delhi where the cyclists will hand over the people’s appeal to the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Meanwhile Beijing police are focussing on rooting out crime and other disruptions as part of its preparations, officials said Monday.
Police are increasing staff in special Olympic security offices and refining detailed plans for each sports venue, said Yu Honguan, vice director of the Olympic Security Coordination Group, a commission overseeing security plans.
Yu said of importance was the overall security in Beijing, and police will target crime and traffic problems.
Beijing police have also launched a new department dedicated to liasing with foreign security forces to help prevent terrorist attacks at the Games. Beijing Olympics security head Qiang Wei said that Beijing would remain on high alert and security measures would be fine-tuned during the year to ensure they delivered a “safe and harmonious” Games in 20 months time.
“Nonethless, we all know that the world today is far from peaceful”, said Qiang, head of the Olympic Security Coordination Group (OSCG).
“As an unprecedented sports event, the Olympic Games has been a target of international terrorist groups (in the past). Therefore, to protect people, we will be taking proactive measures to envisage every possible threat”.
