Something wicked this way comes
Something wicked this way comes
Something wicked this way comes
August 15, 2008
OK, so I haven’t done any Chinese authorities lose the plot blogs, because so far any disturbances been pretty calm, or at least unseen or hidden. Lately, though at least some of the police have lost the plot a little, and I doubt they are acting out of individual creativity!
During mid week, there were a series of arrests and rough housing of journalists around a proposed demonstration, including the arrest of a journalist. It is such a contrast for me, the way I have grown fond of the people of China juxtaposed against my resentment of the insidious ways the authorities seem to want to silence, intimidate and undermine them. It really frustrates me as an outsider, but I have to admit that my antipathy of the authorities frustrates as much as the seeming acceptance of their circumstance by so many, I know this view is coloured by a western perspective, but when I see and hear first hand and read articles about a brave few who seek more and better for themselves, it smarts more than a little.
I have waited a little while to post this as I wanted to see if I could get any more information, but apart from BBC World, there has been nothing, nothing from officials, nothing from volunteers...nothing...like it never happened.
I already knew this protest space/protest application process would be a joke, a very dangerous one and I can only applaud those people, like Zhang Wei who will not capitulate, but insist on pushing the boundaries despite the fact that it is clear that the protest solution sanctioned by the government, is simply a way to identify and in some cases arrest those who would lawfully protest.
There is a man who protests outside of Parliament, he seems a total kook to me, but I have to tell you, I LOVE the fact he is still there, despite the fact that MP’s already passed legislation to get him removed - it didn’t work, even though I believe it seriously impinges on the right to protest under the guise of alleviating threats to security...hmmm, I have heard that before somewhere…oh, that’s right here...and in the US.
I have copied and pasted some of the articles around this incident below:
Protests still unwelcome in Beijing
China has set aside three parks during the Olympics, to allow people to demonstrate. But, as the BBC's Michael Bristow finds out, the parks are empty and those who apply for permission to protest are even finding themselves arrested.
Just before the Olympic Games began, officials said ordinary Chinese people would be able to apply for permission to vent their feelings.
But several would-be demonstrators appear to have been detained by the authorities after trying to apply for that permission.
This is just one way in which China is attempting to restrict embarrassing protests during the Olympic Games.
"The protest application process clearly isn't about giving people greater freedom of expression, but making it easier for the police to suppress it," said Sophie Richardson, from Human Rights Watch.
One of those detained is Zhang Wei, who was held after applying to stage a protest about her family's forced eviction from their courtyard home.
Her son, Mi Yu, said she was initially supposed to be held for just three days for "disturbing social order", but that that had now been extended to 30 days.
Ms Zhang, forced to move to make way for redevelopment in Beijing's Qianmen district, made several protest applications.
"She went every two or three days after seeing a report about the parks. But the police did not give their approval," Mr Mi said.
His mother was taken away last week. The family have not heard from her since.
Many obstacles
Another activist held after making a protest application was Ji Sizun, who was detained on Monday, according to Human Rights Watch.
The 58-year-old, from Fujian province, wanted to call for greater participation by ordinary people in the political process.
Citing witnesses, the rights group said Mr Ji was taken away shortly after entering a Beijing police station to ask about his application.
This application process is a taxing one. Would-be protesters even have to tell police what posters and slogans they intend to use.
There have been reports of others who have been prevented from staging protests in the designated areas.
Some have just had their applications turned down, one was sent back to her home province and yet others have been stopped from travelling to Beijing.
Confusion
The parks designated as protest zones - Shijie, Zizhuyuan and Ritan - do not seem to have been inundated with protesters.
At Shijie ("World") Park on Wednesday one worker said there had not been a single demonstration since the Olympics began.
Potential protesters might have been put off by the police car and van parked directly outside the main entrance of the park, which houses large models of famous world sites.
No one seemed to know where a protest could be held, even if Beijing's Public Security Bureau gave its approval.
"I don't know anything about that," said a ticket collector when asked where protesters could express their opinions.
It was a similar story at Ritan Park, where there seems to have been no protests either.
Dissuading people from protesting is just one tactic being used by China's security forces to prevent demonstrations.
Beijing's streets are full of police, other security personnel and volunteers, wearing red armbands, on the lookout for trouble.
Eight pro-Tibet demonstrators from Students for a Free Tibet were quickly detained on Wednesday after staging a protest.
Some well-known Chinese activists have also been told to keep a low profile during the Olympics. The friend of one said she had decided to leave the city during the Olympics to avoid trouble.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7559217.stm
Published: 2008/08/14 00:21:27 GMT
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Group: Police detain would-be Olympics protester
By AUDRA ANG 13.8.08
BEIJING (AP) — A Chinese activist who applied for permission to protest against corruption during the Olympic Games has been taken away by security agents, a rights group said Wednesday, the latest in a series of detentions during the politically sensitive period.
Ji Sizun came to Beijing from the southern province of Fujian and wanted to demonstrate in one of three protest zones Chinese officials have designated for the games, Human Rights Watch said in a news release.
Ji, 58, wanted to call for "greater participation of Chinese citizens in the political processes, and denounce rampant official corruption and abuses of power," the group said.
He applied at the Deshengmenwai police station Aug. 8, the day the Olympics began, and disappeared three days later, when he went back to check on his application, it said.
"Eyewitnesses said Ji entered the police station at around 10:45 a.m. on August 11. At 12:15 p.m., he was escorted out of the building and put into a dark-colored, unmarked Buick by several men who appeared to be plainclothes policemen," the group said.
Ji's cell phone was turned off on Wednesday. A man who answered the telephone at the Deshengmenwai police station said no one had been arrested or taken away.
"Petitioners have the right to apply. We don't dare to touch them," said the officer. He refused to comment further and said he was too busy to give his name or position.
In July, China said protests would be allowed during the Olympics in three public parks far away from the main sports venues.
No protests have been reported so far in the zones. At least one of them is closely watched by what appears to be plainclothes agents, who film passers-by.
Police have not responded to repeated requests to reveal how many applications have been submitted or approved.
Activists have been rounded up in the days running up to the Olympics and more have been taken away since the games began — a common move by Chinese authorities to curb potential dissent during the competition which is supposed to showcase China as a world power.
On Tuesday, the son of a housing activist who was taken by authorities from her home last week said his mother has been officially detained for a month for "disturbing social order."
Zhang Wei, who has been a vocal opponent of her family's forced eviction, had also tried to apply for permission to protest publicly.
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IOC condemns police manhandling of British journalist
AFP 08:00 14.8.08
BEIJING (AFP) — The International Olympic Committee on Thursday condemned the roughing up of a British journalist who was trying to cover a pro-Tibet protest close to the main Games' complex.
Uniformed police pounced on John Ray, China correspondent for Independent Television News (ITN) on Wednesday, shortly after protesters unfurled a pro-Tibet banner, witnesses and the reporter said.
IOC spokeswoman Giselle Davies said the media should be allowed to operate freely in Beijing.
"The IOC does disapprove of any attempts to hinder a journalist who is going about or doing his job seemingly within the rules and regulation," she told reporters when asked about the incident.
"We do not want to see it happening again."
Ray said he was wrestled to the ground and dragged into a nearby restaurant where he was forcibly held down by uniformed and plainclothes officers who also stamped on his hands.
His cameraman Ben England was also manhandled and prevented from filming the protest, Ray said.
Ray said he told the officers in Chinese that he was a journalist during the incident, during which he was also asked for his views on Tibetan independence.
Wang Wei, vice president of the Beijing Olympic Organising Committee, told reporters Thursday he hoped for better understanding between the police and journalists, and said Ray had been released when he showed his accreditation.
China has repeatedly pledged to allow foreign media broad freedoms to do their work during the Games, but it has come under criticism for continuing to stop them from reporting on sensitive issues.
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Chinese police rough up British journalists at Olympic protest
0900hrs 13.8.08
BEIJING (AFP) — Chinese police dragged a British journalist along the ground and detained him on Wednesday after he tried to report on a pro-Tibet protest near the main Olympic stadium, witnesses told AFP.
Uniformed police pounced on John Ray, China correspondent for Independent Television News (ITN), and wrestled him to the ground shortly after foreign protesters unfurled a pro-Tibet banner, witnesses and the reporter said.
Up to seven protesters were arrested within seconds, while Ray was dragged into a nearby restaurant and forcibly held down by officers who also stamped on his hands, they said.
Ray, who is fully accredited to report in Beijing during the Olympic Games, said he was detained for around 20 minutes in the restaurant and in a police car before being released, and that his equipment bag was confiscated.
"This was an assault in my mind, I am incredibly angry about this," Ray told AFP minutes after he was released.
His shoes were scuffed, the back of his trousers and shirt were covered in grime and he displayed some bruising on his hand.
ITN cameraman Ben England said he tried to film the protest but was physically prevented from doing so by police who manhandled him and used umbrellas to try to block his camera.
China has repeatedly pledged to allow foreign broad media freedoms to do their work during the Games, but have come under criticism for continuing to stop them from reporting on sensitive issues.
Ray said he clearly told the officers in Chinese that he was a journalist during the incident, which happened about one kilometre (0.6 miles) south of the main Olympic Stadium in northern Beijing.
"I tried to explain to them that I was a British journalist but they would not even let me take out my identifiction documents, they were very rough," Ray said.
"I am just wondering where this fits in with China's solemn undertaking to allow us to report freely during the Olympics."
Beijing police would not comment on the incident over the phone, asking AFP to send a fax of questions.
Activists held over Games protest
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7557771.stm
Published: 2008/08/13 06:21:55 GMT
A group of protesters who tried to unfurl a pro-Tibet banner near an Olympics venue in the Chinese capital Beijing have been held by police.
A British journalist who was in the area covering the protest is also reported to have been arrested.
The journalist has been identified as John Ray of ITV News.
This is not the first protest to happen during the Olympics. A man was removed from an equestrian event on Saturday for trying to unveil a Tibetan flag.
Rough treatment
Up to eight protesters, from the group Students for a Free Tibet, had tried to hang a banner in the Chinese Ethnic Culture Park near the National Stadium.
But they were arrested within seconds of the attempt.
Mr Ray was also detained, and claims he was dragged into a nearby restaurant and forcibly held down by officers.
"I tried to explain to them that I was a British journalist but they would not even let me take out my identification documents," Mr Ray told reporters.
"I have been roughed up. They dragged me, pulled me and knocked me to the ground. Now they are filming me," Mr Ray told the UK's Guardian newspaper from the back of the police van as he was driven away.