Olympics: Protesters will be kept in pens during games

Tania Branigan
London Guardian
Thursday, July 24, 2008

China will create three “protest pens” in the capital’s parks to allow people to demonstrate during the Olympics, an official said yesterday.

The move follows speculation as to whether the government, which strictly limits protests, would allow public displays of dissent, especially given that the games have already been the target of campaigns on issues ranging from media freedom to Darfur and Tibet.

“This will allow people to protest without disrupting the Olympics,” said Ni Jianping, the director of the Shanghai Institute of American Studies, who had lobbied for the creation of the zones.

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But Human Rights Watch attacked the decision, arguing that the restrictions undermined the right to demonstrate under international law.

Nicholas Bequelin, a spokesman for HRW, said: “The obstacles and deterrents are so high as to negate the right to demonstrate.

“We are also concerned about the possibility that the authorities might use the existence of these zones to justify repressive measures against demonstrators outside of the zones.

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5 Responses to “Olympics: Protesters will be kept in pens during games”

1. CB Says:
   July 24th, 2008 at 7:20 am

   so when did protest pens became the de facto world standard for stopping protest? Part of freedom of speech is the ability for people to assemble anywhere? Otherwise if they are going to place me in one of their “pens”, then I might as well protest in my house.

2. Tryptic Says:
   July 24th, 2008 at 9:13 am

   Thats why its secretly called a “Dictatorship” CB…You dont get to say what you want anymore….ANYWHERE!

   Just wait. The Orwellian days will be in full swing sooon, with cameras and mics in every home. Then some random painting of 4 dogs playing poker, that you never noticed before, will say “STOP TALKING”.

   Those days are coming, whether it be metaphorical or not.

   And Tom…Don’t scream “China are cold blooded killers” It’s not the peoples fault. They’re just as brainwashed as most Americans and Europeans.

   And the American Government are just as “cold blooded” when it comes to Killing innocents.

3. HEREINTHEUSA Says:
   July 24th, 2008 at 9:42 am

   In the US of Amerika we call them free speech zones.

   No different.

   Why would we expect any difference between these 2 communist countries?

4. Frank Costa Says:
   July 24th, 2008 at 10:02 am

   >>“This will allow people to protest without disrupting the Olympics,” said Ni Jianping>>

   Doh! That’s the idea Ni, to disrupt the Olympics. We have turned into such sad dorks who ask permission to protest!

   Get a thousand people in groups of 20 and come from every direction possible with bull horns, drums, whistles, and more to disrupt the everything and get our message out. And you don’t have to ask please. Do it everywhere. And be sure to see the youtube vid on the weapons for the Denver convention: http://tinyurl.com/6ybvo9

5. kat Says:
   July 24th, 2008 at 1:00 pm

   Its a open communist country, so their is no free speech, and communisn/ and nazism, fascism allows for no idividual voice, once they decide on a collective voice that’s it, protesters are the dissidents to these anti-democrats. What a country to have the games! and yet Americans, and Europeans don’t even protest in their own countries. This isn’t surprising at all.