Olympic torch: Chinese guardians

[GodAtum]

I was wondering what members thought of the security around the Olympic flame procession in London, especially the Chinese bodyguards wearing blue tracksuits. Do you think they did a good job or were they too aggressive.

I ask this as an article in the Times: Olympic torch: Chinese guardians unmasked - Times Online
writes:

Quote:

But the aggressiveness with which the men have been pursuing their brief has provoked an outcry, not least in London where they were seen wrestling protesters to the ground and were described as “thugs” by Lord Coe. Mr Davis asked: "Who in the British Government authorised their presence, and what checks were made as to their background?. He added: "This group appears to have some role in providing security, and were seen manhandling protesters. They even accompanied the torch into Downing Street and were highly visible in the picture with the Prime Minister".

I thought it was a bad idea to have Chinese security so close to the Prime Mininster.

[mhoughbg]

I hope thay were sia regesterd to do CP/Bodyguard work in the UK???

[Hawk]

mhoughbg, haha excellent remark well I can say Iam positive on this level it dosent count.
I know that foreign protection organisations they dont go to UK and train for this, and UK police or similar dont go abroad to get a licens in other countries either.
Iam sure they are police cp, or have a special diplomat passport

But a funny question, I enjoyed it
hawk

[annie]

i think its a bad idea to have any security anywhere near the prime minister myself let the fat boy fend for himself for a change!! And those blue tracksuits were very grim indeed, no self respecting CP would be seen dead in one of those

[Hawk]

well, dont forget they are running..suits might not be the best choice here

bedtime here now
hawk

[annie]

obviously a nice armani suit wasn't practical but they were REALLY a bit sort of chavvy, maybe it's a good look in China, or maybe someone suggested them so we the British public could have a laugh at their expense.

Intresting point about sia though, maybe they applied a year ago for a licence

[chas]

Sacred Flame Protection Unit... sounds good!

[eddyedwards41]

just thig when we have to provide protection for the olympic torch in 2012 who will get the job ???

also 100s of security and CP jobs for 2012 whos geting this contract ???

[GodAtum]

In San Fransisco today, there where more blue tracke suits around the flame but they were not Chinese. If you look in the middle of the picture there are two women wearing the same tracksuits as the Chinese bodyguards. FBI perhaps?

[Dimi]

what do we know about the torch guards ?

perhaps not so much now - but its only a matter of time that our "professional" curiosity will be satisfied...

ive read and heard a couple of things ..

here are just a few :


- the torch guards belong to elite special forces units of the Chinese military, with some having been recruited from the much-feared Flying Dragons and Sword of Southern China counter-terrorism units.

- Special police units are the top tier of the paramilitary corps, chosen for skills in martial arts, marksmanship and hand-to-hand combat, according to sinodefense.com, a British-based Web site specializing in Chinese military affairs.
The training for the Olympic flame detail included daily mountain runs of at least six miles and lessons in protocol. They also learned basic commands such as "go," "step back," "speed up" and "slow down" in English, French, German, Spanish and Japanese, the China News Service said.

- Chinese state media, meanwhile, portray the torch guards as less sinister. The agents are described as "employees of the Beijing Organizing Committee," which founded a "flame protection squad" in August 2007. The unit is responsible for guarding the flame 24 hours a day along its 85,000-mile (140,000-kilometer), 130-day journey around the globe, according to Reuters

- "These men, chosen from around the country, are each tall and large and are eminently talented and powerful," the squad's leader Zhao Si was quoted as saying. "Their outstanding physical quality is not in the slightest inferior to that of specialized athletes." Some of the men run up to 50 kilometers a day, one article in state media said, and many are said to speak several languages, including English, French, Spanish, Japanese and German.

The squad is apparently divided into two parts: one 30-member team is accompanying the torch during its international journey, while the other team, which has around 40 guards, will protect the flame as it travels through China on its way to Beijing

...whatever the truth, they've certainly managed to annoy many with their antics... and perhaps even their dress sense!

...certainly gives a colourful meaning to the phrase "close protection officer" ...methinks..