Olympic protests begin on opening day

The Beijing 2008 Olympic Games promises to be one of the most controversial of all time. We are in for a wild ride.

As expected, the protests against China’s treatment of Tibetan protesters began in earnest at the Olympic torch lighting ceremony in Greece, despite heightened security, with three separate incidents.

Moments before the torch was lit, Chinese Party Secretary Liu Qi spoke unfazed to the audience while, immediately behind him, security apprehended a lone protestor attempting to display a banner depicting the Olympic Rings as handcuffs.

China state television cut away from the scene in an attempt to keep the Chinese people ignorant of what the rest of the world thinks and, over fear of losing their jobs or worse, Chinese television commentators did not mention the demonstration.

Also, during Liu Qi’s speech, two men carrying black flags ran onto the field of the stadium. And three men in the audience, representatives of Reporters without Borders, an advocacy group for press freedom everywhere in the world, unfurled the ‘new’ Olympic banner.

In a separate incident, while the torch was being carried on its 85,000 mile journey from Olympia to Beijing, a Tibetan woman covered herself in red paint and lay in front of the runner while other protesters chanted "Free Tibet" and "Shame on China”.

The focus of the demonstrations is China’s latest human rights violations centering around a demonstration that turned violent on March 14 in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa. The resultant heavy-handed crackdown by Chinese military and heavily armed police have lead to a disputed number of dead. China claims 22 while Tibet says 80 Tibetans and another 19 in subsequent violence in Gansu province were killed.

More protests are expected and planned when the Olympic torch is carried through Tibet and to the top of Mount Everest leading up to the August 8 opening ceremony.

China is a house of cards and it is only a matter of time before the Chinese people rise up against the picture of ‘false harmony’ the Chinese government wishes the world to see. The Chinese government has been at this game for a very long time and it won’t end soon. Perhaps the Beijing 2008 Olympics is just what is needed to get this house to fall.

Many people consider a sporting event as off limits to political protests but when world leaders do nothing to bring action against such a ‘bully’ for its treatment of its citizens except to sit on the sidelines talking about how terrible it is then it is up to the world’s citizens to stand up and do something. I back these protests one hundred percent.

Let the games begin!

Sources: CNN, Newsvine, Reporters Without Borders