Large police presence keeps protesters in check at 2010 flag lighting ceremony
Monday, March 12 - 09:02:28 PM John Ackermann

Vancouver (NEWS1130) - Protesters hoping to disrupt Monday night's lighting of the Olympic flags at City Hall likely left the event feeling a bit disappointed. Not wanting a repeat of last month's countdown clock unveiling, the police presence here was large and quite visible, with a number of officers on horseback and many others at various points keeping watch. A large metal fence also separated protesters from the flags, in fact it seemed demonstrators outnumbered the spectators at the ceremony. Police did report some minor pushing and shoving but not much else, though one protester was arrested on a count of breaching the peace. Incident Commander Inspector John McKay with the VPD said staffing extra officers was clearly the right thing to do. He said, "We had some very grave concerns about the safety of people because the intelligence we had was that some of the activists were going to shut this place down and there was going to be violence. We know that some of the groups will do things, like carry rocks in backpacks, so we had to make sure that everybody here was safe."

Members of the Anti-Poverty Committee tried their best several times to disrupt the festivities, including when Mayor Sam Sullivan addressed the crowd. Sullivan said he was proud to point out Vancouver is the first host city of the Olympic and Paralympic games to have both flags flying together. The ceremony was the last of three 2010 countdown events, and it also marked exactly three years until the Paralymic games. VANOC Chair John Furlong was also at the event as well as BC Sport Minister Stan Hagen and federal Agriculture Minister Chuck Strahl.

Downtown Eastside Residents Association Executive Director Kim Kerr was among the demonstrators and considered the protest a success and a victory against Olympics organizers. He said, "If they want to consider that a photo-op for an Olympics they say the people of BC want, then that's pretty sad." He says that will come across in the TV news footage, unless a way is found to edit out their shouts and chants.






Dignitaries, Spectators and Protestors
Monday, March 12 - 06:51:27 PM John Ackermann

VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) - Among the dignitaries and spectators, protestors have come out to City Hall for the ceremony to light the Olympic and Paralympic flags.

Clutching signs like "No Olympics on Stolen Native Land", a group of 100 protesters marched the north lawn of City Hall, encountering a blue wall of members of the Vancouver Police Department.

A Number of officers can be seen on horseback, many others on the ground, as well as private security guards and a pair of Guardian Angels.

There's also a fenced off area where the flag lighting ceremony is set to begin.

Tonight's incident commander Inspector John McKie says the increased police presence is based on threats made from members of the anti-poverty committee.

This all comes after earlier in the day, someone vandalized the Olympic Countdown Clock, outside the Vancouver Art Gallery.

The stone and wood clock monument has been spray-painted several times with the words "Free Betty".

That apparently refers to recently sentenced protestor Betty Krawczyk, who went to jail over her objection to road construction at Eagleridge Bluffs in West Vancouver. Vancouver Police at the scene say witnesses saw a man spray-painting the clock, before taking off south on Howe Street.

Police have recovered the spray paint can, and they'll be reviewing security video-tapes. The incident comes despite the promise of 24 hour security after the unveiling of the clock was marred by a violent protest.






Olympic flag ceremony in Vancouver gets drowned out by protesters

March 13, 2007 - 0:26

By: ELIANNA LEV
VANCOUVER (CP) - Protesters chanted slogans and used noisemakers to drown out the speeches at a Olympic's flag lighting ceremony in Vancouver.

About 200 people showed up for the city's illumination of the Olympic and Paralympic flags Monday, though most were there to demonstrate against the event.

Those taking in the ceremony - both protesters and supporters - were confined to a fenced-in area and were searched before entering.

The chants and signs of the protesters focused on homelessness and native rights.

About 30 mounted and foot police guarded the area, some videotaping the crowd.

Vancouver police Const. Tim Fanning said two arrests were made for breach of the peace.

He said the ramped up police services at Monday's event wasn't coming out of the Olympic security budget.

Earlier in the day, an Olympic countdown clock was vandalized, despite having 24-hour security.

The stone and wood clock was spray-painted with the words "Free Betty". Last week, environmental activist Betty Krawczyk was sentenced to jail time for protests in May 2006 against highway upgrades for the 2010 Winter Olympics.

John Furlong, chief executive officer of the Vancouver Olympic Games Organizing Committee, said that despite the controversy that surrounds most Games-related ceremonies, the events will carry on.

"Some people would rather that there weren't any Games but we're going to go ahead and do our job," he said.

Patricia Birch came to the flag lighting to watch her son sing in the event's choir.

She said she understands the perspective of the protesters but stressed the issues surrounding the Games are complex.

"Not holding the Olympics would probably not have made any difference to what goes on socially, in fact it may well improve things," she said. "

In February, a ceremony in Vancouver to unveil the countdown clock was crashed when one protester swarmed the stage.
http://www.570news.com/images/FEEDS/03/13/n031302A.jpg
Noisy protesters yell over a speaker at the Illuminate Olympic and Paralympic Flags ceremony in Vancouver, B.C. on Monday evening, March 12,2007. A heavy police presence prevented any disruption of the ceremony. (CP PHOTO/Sam Leung)

Now I know why they moved the gypsies out of Athens in 2004 :ohno:

Now I know why they moved the gypsies out of Athens in 2004 :ohno:

we should give them free bus tickets to Calgary and Edmonton....do our western neighbours a big favour.

i still dont understand why they would have so much time and energy to prtest and holding all those signs
and using those money on such useless thing,
where then can use the time wasted on protesting to find a job and earn their own money instead~?

i still dont understand why they would have so much time and energy to prtest and holding all those signs
and using those money on such useless thing,
where then can use the time wasted on protesting to find a job and earn their own money instead~?

Judging from the look of the crowd, most of them look like beatniks who wouldn't want a job if they were given one no questions asked.

Why are they protesting about rent being too expensive? How about they move out of out one of the most expensive cities in the world and go to Prince George? I'm sure they can live there much easier on a welfare cheque than here.
They have no right to protest unless they are actually in a situation where they have a genuine disability which prevents them from working and need to be in Vancouver for some reason (no, drug addiction is not a disability). Otherwise, they reminds me of a child in a candy store throwing a tantrum when they parents wont buy them something...

What the media should do is not pay any attention to these people whatsoever. By taking photos and reporting on these protests, it is just making their voice heard louder, and is supporting their cause. This is exactly what they want. Exposure! You could argue that the media is suppose to be un-biased and represent the views of all; however, when the focus of news coverage is on the protests, then the message being sent out is that the people of Vancouver are not in favour of the games. This clearly does not represent the MAJORITY of popular opinion on the games - therefore giving an inaccurate picture of Vancouver's stand-point on the 2010 Olympics.

Me, as a 15yearold, already feels bad for asking my parents for work
and i went to work at Tim Hortons too
even a 15year old can do it
why cant they?!
its just embarassing!

Me, as a 15yearold, already feels bad for asking my parents for work
and i went to work at Tim Hortons too
even a 15year old can do it
why cant they?!
its just embarassing!

Good for you. You should be proud of yourself. You have self respect and respect others.
You are right, 2 out of 3 BC businesses are looking to hire, and anyone who wants to work can find a job. What these low lifes want is for other people to support them. Scum bags. I would throw them all in jail and let them rot until they were willing to pitch in and contribute to society. But there are too many bleeding hearts out there that insist we build houses for them and support them, and force you and me to pay for it.

i can't imagine how frustrated VANOC must be right now.

Good for you. You should be proud of yourself. You have self respect and respect others.
You are right, 2 out of 3 BC businesses are looking to hire, and anyone who wants to work can find a job. What these low lifes want is for other people to support them. Scum bags. I would throw them all in jail and let them rot until they were willing to pitch in and contribute to society. But there are too many bleeding hearts out there that insist we build houses for them and support them, and force you and me to pay for it.

throwing them in jail is waste of tax dollars to feed them in jail
you know, their meals in jails can get quite delicious >.>

^ like i said, free bus tickets to Calgary and Toronto.

APC, look and learn from al-Qaeda.

Go big or go home, and continue to go about your petty and pitiful existance.

we should give them free bus tickets to Calgary and Edmonton....do our western neighbours a big favour.

More like returning the favour.

i still dont understand why they would have so much time and energy to prtest and holding all those signs
and using those money on such useless thing,
where then can use the time wasted on protesting to find a job and earn their own money instead~?

Or volunteer their time to help the homeless that they profess to stand so much for.

what do these people want? housing before games

what does that mean?

are they that stupid that they can't find places to live? or what? or do they want to live in an exact location which is a luxury

Lossers that give B.C. and Vancouver a black eye and a bad name.
why are there not more PRO supporters showing up to shut these people up?

Olympic protestors promise more disruption and vandalism
Click here to find out more!
Wednesday, March 14 - 08:42:18 PM Reshmi Nair

Vancouver (NEWS1130) - Vancouver business leaders think the Olympic protests are getting out of hand, but the protesters say they're just getting started. The Anti Poverty Committee is promising to hit VANOC even harder.

The APC is being criticized for drowning out a children's choir at the flag lighting ceremony and generally just taking things too far.

David Cunningham with the APC said they'll do whatever it takes to bring attention to their cause and they went into the last protest with a plan. He said, "With a strategy of not fighting fire with fire, but fighting it with water. If we wanted to confront and overwhelm the police and take the stage, we could easily do that, but we go in with strategies into these type of events, to disrupt them along several different means."

He's promising more protests and expects vandals to follow as they plan to hit VANOC's offices soon. Police still have not arrested anyone for stealing the Olympic flag or spray-painting the Countdown Clock.

^ wtf? how is that exactly getting the public on their side?

Downtown Vancouver BIA Calls for Civil Protests

VANCOUVER, March 14 /CNW/ - The Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement

Association (DVBIA) is calling for Vancouverites to stand up and be counted
among the current silent majority that wants Vancouver to be a City that
welcomes peaceful protests, that encourages the civil expression of opinions
and that is safe for all citizens to get together to celebrate.

The DVBIA's call comes in reaction to recent criminal and disruptive behaviour at Olympic-related ceremonies.

"We want Vancouver, in particular downtown Vancouver, to be a beacon for citizens of all stripes to congregate peacefully," says Bill Rempel, President
of the DVBIA.

"This is a right for all Vancouverites and an illustration of our tolerance and acceptance of all ideas and people." Rempel says if local citizens don't feel safe enjoying a celebration of the coming 2010 Winter Games, for example, what hope do we have staging a Games that welcomes the world.

The DVBIA believes there are lawful ways to get your message heard that
are respectful of both people and property. "Vancouverites should not let the criminal behaviour of a few dampen their enthusiasm to celebrate in public," Rempel says. "In fact, we hope it encourages more people to do it more often."

The DVBIA advocates on behalf of all 8,000 businesses that own or lease
property within its 90-block area and champions for a vibrant, healthy and
diverse downtown. As the largest business improvement association in the
province, the DVBIA is the "Voice of Downtown Business." The 90-block DVBIA
area includes 2,490 properties, 884 owners, and a combined assessed property value of $5.6 billion.

Let's have the following referendum:

Which do you want the fuck out of the city?

[ ] The Olympics
[ ] The APC

what do these people want? housing before games

what does that mean?

are they that stupid that they can't find places to live? or what? or do they want to live in an exact location which is a luxury

Pretty much! Basically, if you cant afford housing here. TOUGH LUCK. Sorry, the government is not obligated to intervene and create "affordable" "low-income" housing for you when it exists elsewhere in the city and province. Go rent that $500 basement suite in New West...Rent a room for $300. Its not as though they don't have options. They just want to be taken care of as though the government is "Mom & Dad". They just dont grasp the sense that they need to be independant and support themselves.

If the market results in housing prices that are unaffordable for these people. Then they should simply re-locate themselves to a market which is more within their means. As far as im concerned, government intervention in matters like this to support low-income people, enabling them to afford prime locations, is a PRIVLEDGE. Definatly not a right you should be protesting for.