Olympic security – why Beijing was no gold standard

There is a Chinese proverb for every occasion and mine for the Olympic security row is “Be careful what you wish for.”

Four years ago, I was in Beijing as China readied itself for the games.

Security wasn’t a problem, because neighbourhood spies had been posted on every street corner. Beijing residents were told to stay at home and watch the TV instead of coming out and having a good time.

The night of the opening ceremony I drove around town desperately looking for people to film watching the show on big screens which had been erected in a few shopping centres. Eventually I found a small crowd near the Workers’ Stadium quietly watching. Everyone was subdued apart from a random group of Malagasy who started to do the conga. It was the only expression of joy I came across in the entire fortnight.

The Chinese authorities, under pressure, had said they would open “protest zones” and anyone who wanted to demonstrate about something could request a permit. The authorities received 77 applictions. None was granted.

I went to meet two old ladies, Mrs Wang and Mrs Wu, both in their 80s, who wanted to protest about having been evicted from their houses with inadequate compensation and forced to live in a miserable room. Ignoring the rejection of their protest permit, they went along to Zhongnanhai, where the Chinese Communist party elite live, and set off a couple of firecrackers. They were not only arrested but sentenced to “re-education through labour”. Sending two old ladies in a labour camp – that will ensure security, won’t it?

In the end a few people did manage the odd protest. We filmed Free Tibet activists shimmying up flag poles to tie their banners – one of my colleagues was memorably arrested for the crime of covering the story.

Security was maintained, and the Chinese government declared the Olympics a triumph. I don’t know what the atmosphere was like inside the Olympic village and stadium because I couldn’t face getting through the security cordon to take a look. The rest of Beijing was rather quiet, as if there was a massive funeral going on.

Of  course security must be maintained during the London Olympics. But I hope people can nonetheless enjoy themselves, whether they’re attending or not. And don’t let anyone say Beijing should be the model.

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