Chinese Coverage of London Protests

Bunz

Bunz

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I found this via TIME and thought it quite interesting, the difference in coverage between the Chinese "news" and the rest of the world, specifically the coverage from London.

First is the London report.

What an advert for London 2012: Our Olympic showpiece ends in violence and farce
By SAM GREENHILL, BEN BROGAN, LUCY BALLINGER, OLINKA KOSTER and VANESSA ALLEN - More by this author » Last updated at 08:34am on 7th April 2008

Surrounded by a phalanx of Chinese security guards, British athlete Denise Lewis carries the Olympic torch into a Downing Street besieged by protesters.

The relay event through the capital had been billed as a journey of harmony and peace - not to mention a showcase for the London Games in 2012.

It turned into a combination of sinister and slapstick which did Britain no favours in the eyes of the world.

n bizarre scenes, Chinese security guards and hundreds of police fought running battles with protesters against the plight of Tibet.

Terrified athletes and celebrities carrying the torch were forced to run for cover.

Downing Street was privately furious as the embarrassing fiasco - costing £1million and likened to "Chinese police state tactics" in London - was beamed around the world on TV.

Because of the demonstrators, 35 of whom were arrested, the torch had to be escorted by jogging Metropolitan Police officers alongside the mysterious private army of Chinese guards.

Wearing blue tracksuits, the hired 'thugs' barged protesters out the way and even shoved spectators in Downing Street, where the torch was greeted by Gordon Brown.

As the surreal circus made its way through London, no one seemed able to prevent campaigners launching wave after wave of attack.

Flashpoints included Downing Street and outside the British Museum where more than 2,000 activists massed to protest China's role in Tibet.

Former Blue Peter presenter Konnie Huq was almost knocked to the ground as a demonstrator tried to snatch the torch from her.

Elsewhere, as 100 protesters besieged the parade on Fleet Street, the torchbearing party was forced to stage a "breakout" using a London bus to reach the safety of St Paul's Cathedral, where the procession resumed on foot.

Security was progressively stepped up until more than 50 police officers wearing heavy stabproof vests were taking part in the bizarre marathon.
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Werbung:
Now from the official Chinese news outlet.
Olympic flame crosses London amid snow + - 08:39, April 07, 2008
The heavy snow in London exerted slim effect on people's passion of seeing Beijing Olympic flame as large crowds lined along the street to greet the relay of torch on Sunday in the host city of 2012 Games.

London boasted the longest relay of nearly 50 kilometers among cities outside China's mainland. Eighty torchbearers, including Paralympics, Olympic athletes and celebrities carried the torch through ten London boroughs from Wembley to Greenwich. Landmark buildings and ancient sites witnessed the sacred flame.

Dragon and lion dancing performance dressed up the Chinatown like a festival. Large groups of Chinese in squares or concentration point waited the flame hours before its arrival.

Quintuple Olympic gold medallist rower from Marlow Bottom SteveRedgrave initiated the relay within the Wembley Stadium.

Redgrave just criticized the binding of Olympics and politics days before the relay.
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I find the differences in those reports to be very sharp and quite telling.

Will the Beijing games be marred by this? I am one who hopes not. The olympics were designed to trump politics, promote peace and brotherhood it certainly has been the other way around historically.

Should the US boycott Beijing? And why?
 
I was in London protesting and it almost made me proud to be British to see how we still care enough to cause some good old fashioned havoc in the name of freedom.

Our athletes should not boycott the games because they have spent their whole lives training for this event, but in every other respect we should boycott the games and make sure they are never hosted in circumstances like this again.

If China wants to use the Olympics for PR and political gain, its only fair Tibet does the same.
 
I've banned Chinesse take aways - no more Meal D of four in our house!!!

disgust.gif
 
9sublime said:
I was in London protesting and it almost made me proud to be British to see how we still care enough to cause some good old fashioned havoc in the name of freedom.

Our athletes should not boycott the games because they have spent their whole lives training for this event, but in every other respect we should boycott the games and make sure they are never hosted in circumstances like this again.

If China wants to use the Olympics for PR and political gain, its only fair Tibet does the same.
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How far from London are you? You were only almost proud to be British? Are you usually not a proud Briton?

I certainly agree with your views on sending the athletes. I am not sure about an otherwise boycott.

Also, of course the Chinese are using the games for PR and political gain. Just the same any country and host city would do. Have you ever seen the footage of the 1936 Berlin games? That was a total Nazi supremacy show. Nothing like having Jesse Owens show up and shove the Aryan supremacy theory up thier A$$
Also of course the claims of supremacy from both sides of the cold war. Including boycotts of the 80-84 games.
 
I live near Oxford, so 45 minutes on the train.

Am I proud to be British? Not in the traditional sense very much, but yes, in many ways I am. However, I don't regard myself as a patriot as such because that seems to involve loving your government too much in the face of problems.
 
I live near Oxford, so 45 minutes on the train.
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Oooh, Oxford, I've been there! Much more interesting than Stratford.

Am I proud to be British? Not in the traditional sense very much, but yes, in many ways I am. However, I don't regard myself as a patriot as such because that seems to involve loving your government too much in the face of problems.
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We have very similar views on national pride.
 
Ah my Modly friends, do you really think being a Patriot involves loving your government blindly? Patriotism in my mind has little in reality to do with the government. It involves your country, your city, your neighborhood.

If one loves thier government, they are not patriots, nor even citizens, they are subjects
 
Can you imagine the conversations taking place in the boardrooms at Addidas, Nike and all the like....d'ya reckon they'd want their corporations to be associated with this fiasco :eek:

And as for you young BUNZ! - you disgraceful excuse for a human - eating chinese food eh! well go stand in the corner and don't talk to anyone till I say so :p..........................what did you have?
 
The Scotsman said:
Can you imagine the conversations taking place in the boardrooms at Addidas, Nike and all the like....d'ya reckon they'd want their corporations to be associated with this fiasco :eek:
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Well in some ways they are. But it is rather minor in the Iraq issue. The sweatshops there are up for another discussion, for another time. I encourage you to start a thread on the issue and I will surely reply.
And as for you young BUNZ! - you disgraceful excuse for a human - eating chinese food eh! well go stand in the corner and don't talk to anyone till I say so :p..........................what did you have?
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Oh really, you have no idea. :) Where I live in Alaska is among the most remote areas of America. Literally no road connections, or any chain stores or mobile phones etc. for 350 airmiles.I am closer to Russia than Seattle.
So, for me, who hasnt had chinese take out, in like 5 years, it was great!
I had sesame chicken. Not the best, but nice to literally have the ability to order food that is delivered at your door whilst having a gut full of beer.
 
Yeah thats a good point Bunz - patriotism doesn't HAVE to involve the government but invariably it has to be taken into account because your government represents you at home and abroad.
 
Bunz said:
Now from the official Chinese news outlet.


I find the differences in those reports to be very sharp and quite telling.

Will the Beijing games be marred by this? I am one who hopes not. The olympics were designed to trump politics, promote peace and brotherhood it certainly has been the other way around historically.

Should the US boycott Beijing? And why
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Werbung:
The Chinese coverage of the Paris relay highlighted the attempt to take the flame from a disable torcyh bearer. While the report in the ChinaDaily was exagareted it did show a photo of the incident. This has led to widespread protests against France.

I think every country tries to present news in a favourable light. The coverage of The Munich killing of Isreal athetics was quite difewrent in Gernmany to that in Australia or other wester4n countries.

Boycoting the Games prove useless in Moscow and los Angeles. It just denied Athletes their only chance to appear. It would cause retalion so that many countries would boycott the London Olympics.
 
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