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.
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)
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these people vandalized property, period. we arent saying they arent allowed to protest and dissent, etc., we are just against blatant vandalism. 
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