IAP Political Forum

... but is this really an appropriate way to express it :-\ ?

Olympic torch relay descends into chaos (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080407/ap_on_sp_ol/olympic_torch)

"Despite massive security, at least two activists got within almost an arm's length of the flame before they were grabbed by police. A protester threw water at the torch but failed to extinguish it and was taken away. Officers tackled numerous protesters and carried some away.

At the start of the relay, on the Eiffel Tower's first floor, Green Party activist Sylvain Garel lunged for the first torchbearer, former hurdler Stephane Diagana, shouting "Freedom for the Chinese!" Security officials pulled Garel back."



Paris city hall cancels Olympic torch ceremony (http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=080407143545.uejpu98q&show_article=1)

"Hundreds of pro-Tibetan demonstrators disrupted the torch relay through Paris, forcing officials to repeatedly extinguish the flame and take refuge on a bus."



Torch draws protest fury in London's Olympic run (http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/04/06/europe/torch.php)

"In one incident caught by BBC cameras, a man in a black woollen cap who broke through the cordon of policemen and Chinese bodyguards attempted to seize the torch from a popular children's television presenter, Konnie Huq, as she ran with the torch in the Notting Hill area. Beaten back by the Chinese guards, the man was wrestled to the ground by the police and led away handcuffed."



I mean... walk with them holding banners, but DON'T TOUCH THEM! For God's sake... they look like lunatics.

When have protests gone too far? When police baracades, busses and armed troops are necessary to see safe passage for the Olympic torch?

Surely even the pro-Tibet crowd, my self included, sees this as deplorale...

Drudge is reporting that Sen. Hillary Clinton is going to call on Pres. Bush to boycott the Olympic ceremony. The link is "developing" so all there is is the headline.

OswaldTheOsprey

http://www.drudgereport.com/

Yeah its a bit too much, protests I can live with but when things get violent a line must be drawn (with some exceptions).

Using violence to get your message across in countries where there is an option to peacefully protest with a government allowing it plus "positive" media coverage is usually a pretty bad idea...

They should've kept to the principle of passive resistance. They should've laid down on the path or formed a handcuffed human chain, etc. Delays, new improvised routes and the like all require that the news casters explain why it happened. That's the best you can hope for.



Seriously, why didn't they consult me first?
Ahk

Your phone was busy.

Your advice presumes that the protesters want to "protest" (ie. sent a political message).  That appears to be erroneous.

The Tibetan protesters, by their actions, appear to have the goal of subverting the olympics for their own pleasure as a kind of 'revenge' on China.

Ergo, they are not making intelligent 'protests' they are entirely dedicated to distruption.

Another week of these kind of demonstrations and I'll be pro-China in no time.

Ben Smith has more on Sen. Clinton's call for the boycott. From politico.com.

OswaldTheOsprey

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0408/Clinton_calls_for_Olympic_opening_boycott.html

Ahk's seemed intelegent and disruptive enough to not only keep them peaceful but ALSO deliver a political message.

I'm very much "do as I say not as I do", though.

If it were me I would've pelted them with baby pandas.




Ahk

The Tibetan protesters, by their actions, appear to have the goal of subverting the olympics for their own pleasure as a kind of 'revenge' on China.

Ergo, they are not making intelligent 'protests' they are entirely dedicated to distruption.

Another week of these kind of demonstrations and I'll be pro-China in no time.
[/quote]

Tibet people are just using the momentum to bring world attention to their plague. The world will just notice this and close the eyes, like nothing happened, not that the world doesn't know about the Chinese unjustice made to an entire nation, but honestly, who has the balls to tell the Chinese what to do in their backyard?

cauboi....

Not you, obviously!