Anti-2010 protesters aim to disrupt Olympics beginning with Opening Ceremony

[cornholio]

Well since the latest surveys have shown that the majority of the people in the region are not happy about the Olympics then I for one support these protesters, afterall their main point is showing that not everyone(infact a majority) dont support the Olympics, thats called speaking for the people of Vancouver.

At my work there are on only a couple out of a hundred people that I know that will attend events, infact I know more people that will simply leave for vacation.

Also a popular miss conception is that Metro Vancouver residents got to vote on the Olympics, this is incorrect, only the citizens of the city of Vancouver which represents 25% of the regions population got to vote.

[agrant]

Yea, but I'd bet the further away from the city you go, the more accepted the Olympics are. I believe most of the negativity comes from the extra congestion coming to the city. Simple as that.

[s211]

Originally Posted by mr.x

1) If protesters are blocking roads/traffic, they need to be removed immediately.

2) If protesters are using megaphones to disrupt outdoor celebration events, they need to be removed immediately.

3) If protesters are caught vandalizing Olympic decorations and/or public/private property, they need to be arrested immediately.

4) If protesters are caught trying to climb over a security fence, they need to be removed immediately.

5) If protesters are caught intimidating/harrassing Olympic spectators (individuals protesters deemed as "brainwashed" and "supportive of this capitalist event"), they must be removed immediately.



Zero tolerance. The Games are here. We've dealt with this B.S. with the countdown events over the past few years. But this time, the foot is going down.

[djmk]

Originally Posted by cornholio

Also a popular miss conception is that Metro Vancouver residents got to vote on the Olympics, this is incorrect, only the citizens of the city of Vancouver which represents 25% of the regions population got to vote.

and what's your point? you do not think that sampling 25% of the total population is not valid? what makes you think if all 2.2 million people voted, the result would not be the same?

maybe its your fellow employees that are not a true representation of metro vancouver

[Yume-sama]

Originally Posted by agrant

Yea, but I'd bet the further away from the city you go, the more accepted the Olympics are. I believe most of the negativity comes from the extra congestion coming to the city. Simple as that.

Yes, people generally do not care unless they are being inconvenienced.

And if you "just don't do transit" like some people on the news, you will be greatly inconvenienced

There are few things in life that annoy the average person more than traffic.

[deagleman]

Originally Posted by cornholio

Well since the latest surveys have shown that the majority of the people in the region are not happy about the Olympics then I for one support these protesters, afterall their main point is showing that not everyone(infact a majority) dont support the Olympics, thats called speaking for the people of Vancouver.

At my work there are on only a couple out of a hundred people that I know that will attend events, infact I know more people that will simply leave for vacation.

Also a popular miss conception is that Metro Vancouver residents got to vote on the Olympics, this is incorrect, only the citizens of the city of Vancouver which represents 25% of the regions population got to vote.

I tried to find sources of your claim that the majority were not happy with the Olympics and could not find any. The most relative one I found was that only 50% of BC residents thought the games would have positive impact on BC. This poll however, didn't have anything to do with whether or not people were unhappy with the Olympics.

Would it be possible to post a link to the survey? I would just like to see how it was worded.

[Stingray2004]

As for BC public opinion (what matters most), only '15%' of BC'ers 'strongly support' protests against the 2010 games. Another '15%' 'moderately support' protests against the 2010 games. Not much public support there.

That's from Angus Reid Strategies public opinion poll from a few weeks ago.

And only 17% of BC'ers believe that the winter Olympics will have a 'negative' impact upon Canada, while 31% of BC'ers believe that the winter Olympics will have a 'negative' impact upon BC.

http://www.visioncritical.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/2010.01.21_Olympics_CAN.pdf

After the opening ceremonies, watch those numbers begin to fall as the Olympic tsunami magic begins to gell.

[EdinVan]

Originally Posted by mr.x

I get rage strokes with these protesters, I seriously do...

There's medication for that, you know.

[CoryHolmes]

Originally Posted by EdinVan

There's medication for that, you know.

Sure. Anti-protesters fisticuffs Available in convineintly-sized knuckle sandwiches that fit in any lunch bag

[WaxItYourself]

not sure if this has been mentioned yet but there was a bomb threat at the prince george opening ceremonies last week.

also apparently they are bringing people of the east end to prince george for the olympics

[mr.x]

Prince George?

[WaxItYourself]

Originally Posted by mr.x

Prince George?

yeah. I was just on the phone with a friend from Prince George that was at the ceremony they threw about a week ago when the flame went through their neighbourhood. She told me that during the ceremony the police told everyone to get out and she read in the newspaper the following day that it was because there was a bomb threat.

she also has friends that work at the airport and they are awaiting some flights from Vancouver for homeless people. Though she does tell the tall tale once in awhile.

actually here's a link: http://www.bclocalnews.com/bc_north/pgfr...made_during_torch_celebration_in_PG.html

[mr.x]

Scheduled security sweep of Olympic venue sparks threat false alarm

(CP) – 2 hours ago

VANCOUVER, B.C. — A scheduled security sweep of a major Vancouver Winter Olympic venue sparked a brief false alarm about a potential threat.

A local radio station reported hundreds of people had been evacuated from B.C. Place stadium, site of the Friday's opening ceremonies, because of unspecified security risks.

But a spokesman for the RCMP-led Olympic Integrated Security Unit says in fact stadium employees were sent home early in order that the planned pre-Games security sweep could be completed on time.

Sgt. Leo Monbourquette says the stadium then will be locked down, as other venues are when the painstaking security sweeps are completed, with access granted only to those with Olympic credentials.

More than 15,000 police, military and private security personnel have the job of protecting the Games from terrorist attacks, with a budget of $900 million.

Copyright © 2010 The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

[johnjimbc]

cornholio, I don't know if you are legitimately confused or intentionally misreading the results to what you would like to see. But here is the poll report that was widely reported a few weeks back:

http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local..._100121/20100121?hub=BritishColumbiaHome

As others have mentioned, the poll showed 50% thought the Olympics would be a positive benefit to the province, 31% said they thought the impact would be negative, and 18% weren't sure. I'm not sure how anyone would view those numbers and proclaim a majority don't support the Games. It's a bit of a stretch to say the least.

And Yume, man, no worries. I was just ribbing you since you had mentioned CBC in several comments recently .

[Policy Wonk]

A Swiss colleague passing through Calgary on his way to Vancouver shared some insights on how they deal with anarchist protesters in Switzerland...

The spray protesters with freezing cold liquefied manure through a fire hose.

[mr.x]

Downtown was incredible today...I've never seen the city centre so festive and full of people (more than boxing day imo).

There were tons and tons of volunteers, staff, media, athletes, and international visitors in the streets. It was amazing.

The Robson Square spotlights were pretty cool, but I wish they would have done more like more spotlights atop Sears, the federal government building, etc. There were about 30 people taking pictures of the countdown clock at 5 pm.

[SpongeG]

its been like that the whole week its been awesome you need to get out more

[SpongeG]

note the comment how a dirty bomb wiping out the lower east side would be a developers dream...

• Video Link

[SpongeG]

• Video Link

[johnjimbc]

Yes, while living in DC I often considered that a dirty bomb would present a rare opportunity to purchase (totally useless) land at bargain basement prices. Who wouldn't want to live in a radioactive zone?

Who dreams up this stuff?