7.4.08

Heat Protests Indeed

I've been trying to come up with a good way of mentioning the recent protests along the Olympic torch route, but I haven't been able to come up with more than some YouTube videos. That is, until I saw the headline for the Washington Post's latest take on the story: Olympic Torch Attracts Heated Protests.

Someone is a clever bastard.

Apparently this story hasn't got enough play in the US media markets, because many of the people I've spoken with have had little knowledge of what is going on.

Thousands are practicing civil disobedience in an effort to damper the spirits of the Chinese government organizing this year's summer Olympic games. While the torch has only been lit for a few days, it has already been doused several times, and dozens have been arrested in connection with the contentious runs through London and Paris. San Francisco is next, and clearly will be the site of the biggest showdown between the heavily guarded torchbearers and the citizens who are irate over the issue of Tibet.

Either the tens of thousands of Californian hippies and peaceniks will overwhelm the security and stop the procession in its tracks, or they will be cowed by what promises to be a massive police presence (and not those French police on Rollerblades either).

It will be the only stop in the United States before the torch begins its epic journey through every nook and cranny of China, so Wednesday will doubtlessly be a big day in the news.

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