Sounds glamorous, doesn't it?
I don't know too many people who have been lucky enough to watch the Olympic torch run by them. And I'm sure there are even fewer who have been in the midst of a protest against the Olympic games.
I accidentally attended the Olympic torch relay today. I knew it was going on, but I forgot. I was actually on my way to meet a friend for tea, and when I exited the Tube at Trafalgar Square I was greeted by thousands of onlookers, waving flags of China and Great Britain and "Beijing 2008". Of course I weaseled my way to the front as far as the crowd would allow me. The atmosphere was amazing. London has a large Chinese population, and it seemed like they had all come out to see their torch pass by. I was excited and I felt happy for the Chinese around me, sharing in what must have been a very proud moment for them.
The mood changed quickly as protesters of the Olympics starting chanting and pushing their way through the crowd. They held up signs reading "Free Tibet" and "Tibet's justice should come before the Olympics" and other signs encouraging the removal of China's occupation in Tibet. It was neat at first. I had to respect these protesters who felt so strongly about their cause. I didn't know enough about the China/Tibet situation to really feel angry or threatened by either side. Honestly, I was just trying to snap a good picture of the torch bearer as he/she ran by.
I noticed the protesters were being swamped and nagged by the Chinese. The anti-Olympic and pro-Tibet signs were being stolen and broken, or someone bearing a Chinese flag would try to cover a protester's sign with his flag. This brought about roars of cheers from the predominantly Chinese crowd. As did the removal of several protesters by the London Police.
I didn't move. Still on such a high because I was in London at an Olympic torch relay, I didn't want to move. I wanted to take it all in. It wasn't until I saw a man being beaten that I decided it best to take my naive, American self out of the situation....
It happened shortly after the torch came through Trafalgar Square. Anyone familiar with the Square knows there are two large fountains. Fans and protesters alike were standing on the edges of the fountains to get better views. I noticed one protester because he had a bright yellow towel that read "Stop the Killing in Tibet".
A minute later I saw this same guy and he had climbed up onto the highest point of the fountain, getting quite wet, but making quite a statement too, as he was now visible to a larger percentage of the crowd. Before I knew what happened I see another man (obviously anti-Tibet or super pro-Olympic; for the sake of reducing confusion we'll call him red jacket man) and he tries to knock the protester down. He fails, so he climbs up to the level of the protester.
Protester man jumps down into the fountain, probably 18 inches deep. Red jacket man spits on him and then proceeds to jump on top of him. The men are both drenched as protester tries to get away from crazy red jacket man. But crazy doesn't stop there. He's chasing protester through the fountain and hits him over the head several times repeatedly. It was sort of a punch, sort of a hit, and it looked nasty. Onlookers were cheering and screaming. It was so intense.
I actually have it all on video. Red jacket man was arrested shortly after this incident.
As I walked away to meet my friend I couldn't begin to process the events I had just witnessed. How silly of me to think the Olympics are "everyone's games" and a time for "peaceful sportsmanship". I thought everyone loved the Olympics. Boy, was I wrong.
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