Beijing residents stage protest over Olympic eviction

[katty]

more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/aug/04/china.olympics2008

Beijing residents stage protest over Olympic eviction
Tania Branigan in Beijing guardian.co.uk, Monday August 04 2008 14:07 BST

Protesters angry about their eviction due to Olympic-related redevelopment mounted an angry demonstration in the centre of the Chinese capital today, not far from Tiananmen Square.

Around 20 people gathered to protest on a residential street, shouting that they had been kicked out of their homes and had not received proper compensation.

"We don't oppose the Olympics. But it's wrong for them to demolish our house. It's wrong," protester Liu Fumei told the Associated Press, which filmed her screaming and scuffling with women in civilian clothes.

Beijing is under increased security in the run-up to the Olympics, which begins on Friday, and demonstrations near Tiananmen Square - the political heart of the city - are rare and usually stopped quickly.

Police officers surrounded the scene without interfering, but women who said they were members of a neighborhood committee led the protesters away from the area. Such committees work closely with police and other officials, although they are not formally part of the government.

A duty officer in the Beijing police news office told AP he did not know what happened to the demonstrators following their removal.

[tomreedtoon]

1. The REAL games begin.

Just wait until we get a moment of footage of the Chinese Army machine-gunning protesters...after which, the satellite feed and internet feed to China will "mysteriously" cut off.

[katty]

2. yes, no doubt