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| China-Japan-Koreas |
| Olympic torch: Chinese guardians unmasked |
| 2008-04-08 |
| China’s blue-clad flame attendants, whose aggressive methods of safeguarding the Olympic torch have provoked international outcry, are paramilitary police from a force spun off from the country’s army. A squad of 30 young men from the police academy that turns out the cream of the paramilitary security force, their job at home is to ensure riot control, domestic stability and the protection of diplomats. Questions are now being asked as to who authorised their presence as the torch made its journey through London, with the Conservatives last night demanding clarification from the Government. The guards task for the torch relay is to ensure the flame is never extinguished - and now increasingly to prevent protesters demonstrating against Chinese rule in Tibet from putting it out. But the aggressiveness with which the men have been pursuing their brief has provoked an outcry, not least in London where they were seen wrestling protesters to the ground and were described as “thugs” by Lord Coe. The Olympic medallist and organiser of the 2012 Games was overheard saying that the officials had pushed him around as the torch made its way through the capital on Sunday, adding that other countries on the route should “get rid of those guys”. “They tried to puch me out of the way three times. They are horrible. They did not speak English . . . I think they were thugs.” His comments came after Konnie Huq, the former Blue Peter presenter who was one of the torchbearers on Sunday, described how she had seen the officials in “skirmishes” with the police. Ms Huq, who was carrying the torch when a pro-Tibet activist tried to snatch the flame, said of the guards: “They were very robotic, full-on...They were barking orders like “run” and “stop” and I was like: Who are these people”. David Davis, the shadow home secretary, yesterday wrote to Jacqui Smith seeking clarification of the role of the Chinese officials and what was known about their background. Mr Davis asked: "Who in the British Government authorised their presence, and what checks were made as to their background?. He added: "This group appears to have some role in providing security, and were seen manhandling protesters. They even accompanied the torch into Downing Street and were highly visible in the picture with the Prime Minister". Less than a year ago these mysterious “men in blue” were elite students from China’s Armed Police Academy and were selected amid great fanfare to form the grandly-titled Sacred Flame Protection Unit. In China, tens of thousands of their fellow paramilitary have been deployed across Tibetan areas to restore order in regions where Tibetans have killed as many as 18 people in riots, even opening fire when the anti-Chinese demonstrations have threatened to run out of control again. It is a long way from those heady days last August when the squad was founded. Zhao Si, their leaders, said then: “These men, chosen from around the country, are each tall and large and are eminently talented and powerful.” Online reports said the shortest among them stood 1.9 metres (6 ft 3 in) tall. Mr Zhao said: “Their outstanding physical quality is not in the slightest inferior to that of specialised athletes.” Their training has involved running 40 to 50 kilometres a day - sometimes 10 kilometres a day along mountain roads to guarantee the squad is fit enough to keep pace all day with a relay of torch bearers in cities across the world. These ironmen have also undergone training in local customs and languages of the countries in which they would be deployed. This has included learning some English, French, German, Spanish and Japanese. A total of 30 have been assigned to follow the torch overseas. Another 40 will be on duty to trail the Olympic flame around China until it reaches Beijing on August 6, just two days before the start of the Games themselves. In reports published before the young men became the focus of international attention, Chinese media stressed their ability to ensure the flame would stay alight. “They received firstly technical training in how to light the first torch of each session of the relay and save the flame in the lantern at the end of each relay in a more efficient and safe way.” Yang Zhaoke, director of the Beijing organising committee torch centre, told The Times: “We chose young and vigorous men. They can’t be beansprouts because they have to show good endurance because we can’t change people once they are overseas. They have to be able to run from start to finish.” Some train in such martial arts as taekwondo or tijiquan in their spare time, he said. But added: “Their job is not to fight but to shelter and protect. They are not there to beat people and they have no right to enforce the law. Only the British police have that right in London, for example.” A source at Scotland Yard said: "They were here because they came as a part of the package. We made it quite clear that they had no executive powers in the UK. They were here to maintain the flame. Their responsibility is to look after the flame and to make sure nothing happens to it. They are there to protect the flame." |
| Posted by:john frum |
| #4 Obviously, when you are a foreigner in England, you treat the locals like shit. Well, works for the muzzies, doesn't it? |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2008-04-08 20:06 |
| #3 These ironmen have also undergone training in local customs and languages of the countries in which they would be deployed. Obviously, when you are a foreigner in England, you treat the locals like shit. Check. |
| Posted by: bigjim-ky 2008-04-08 19:53 |
| #2 W00T! Nice catch, John! |
| Posted by: Frank G 2008-04-08 19:13 |
| #1 Konnie Huq, the former Blue Peter presenter who was one of the torchbearers on Sunday Clearly the athletic type to carry the torch... |
| Posted by: john frum 2008-04-08 17:40 |