The Olympic Torch Relay got underway in Canberra this morning amid massive security and a major display of Chinese nationalism from the thousands of students bussed in for the event.
The official torch lighting ceremony itself was a rather lacklustre affair. Either there were massive withdrawals from the guest list or organisers vastly over-catered on chairs, leaving the smoking ceremony, national anthems and sundry speeches to be performed in front of rows and rows of empty seats. Crowds were kept fifty-odd metres away behind barricades.
Most Chinese students — the majority carrying or wearing flags, and frequently directed by marshals in white t-shirts — were more interested in chanting at and berating anti-China protestors, with at least one being arrested when he tried to jump the barricade to get at Tibetan independence supporters who were marching along the back of Reconciliation Place. Only a booming rendition of the Chinese national anthem got their attention briefly back to proceedings.
The occasional individual who advanced into the students clutching a Free Tibet placard was met with what appeared to be a prepared tactic of being surrounded by large Chinese flags. Otherwise, the two sides were kept well separated by the AFP. The infamous torch attendants – one of whom was reportedly later manhandled by a zealous AFP officer – kept a low profile, with only two joining in the vast throng of police officers surrounding the torch as it set off around Canberra. First stop was a trip across Lake Burley Griffin from the back of the ceremony venue – escorted by a small armada of police boats.
Despite it being clear for weeks that Chinese students, most likely organised by the Chinese Embassy, were flocking to Canberra for the event, organiser Ted Quinlan admitted today they hadn’t been prepared for it, expressing surprise at “a well-coordinated plan to take the day by weight of numbers.” It was well-coordinated, and it was a huge success. You don’t have to go to China to see Chinese nationalism at work. Our capital city will do just fine.
Thanks INCITATUS: you’ve lost me.
Yeah Sean but for the last olympics and the next we have been occupying two nations who are not even close to us let alone liable to be part of us.
If Australian athletes had been attacked for having children in concentration camps you would have raved about that wouldn’t you? In a racist sort of way because we have the right to decide who comes here don’t we?
When westerners go overseas they like to try things they’re not allowed to do at home. That’s why the Chinese are such enthusiastic protestors. The thrill of the forbidden.
In terms of control and coordination by China Inc machine why not trust the sincere warnings of Chinese embassy defector here Chen Yonglin. He should know …http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2005/s1387174.htm
But what I most hope is that there is some real two way communication especially at the grassroots level. Not shouting but some real discussion. I can’t believe out of diverse 1.3 billion people of diverse language groups and culture that Beijing head office can really crush the vitality and independent thinking of most of those people. I do hope so.
Dear Incitatus, if the line does not continue from the emperors, then where does it start? By your reckoning the whole of the U.K. is fair game and ripe for revolution. This won’t happen of course because the CIA and its proxy N.E.D. is not pushing for it, so no ‘colour’ revolutions. But the Scots got a very good case, not to mention the Irish. Do some unbiased research and you may conclude that the Tibetans who are protesting now are fighting for a ruling class that will never return. And rightly so. No religious freedom in Tibet? Then how come we see so many monks burning shops and attacking passer-bys?The current system in Tibet is not perfect but it is far better then serfdom.