China creates three protest spots for Games
24 Jul 2008, 1218 Hrs

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New Delhi, July 24 (ANI): Authorities in Beijing have earmarked three areas for public protests during next month's Olympic Games.

"We have designated areas in three Beijing parks for demonstrations during the Olympics," Liu Shaowu, director of security department of the Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee (BOCOG), said.

The three designated parks are in the districts of Fengtai, Haidian and Chaoyang, far away from the Games venues and sites because the Olympic Charter prohibits demonstrations or "political, religious or racial propaganda" there.

About 110,000 policemen, volunteers and other personnel will be on duty to ensure a safe Olympics, Liu said.

As part of the security measures, fences have been built and security checkpoints set up around the Olympic Village, Games venues and the BOCOG headquarters, and monitoring and alarm systems installed there.

Armed police with trained dogs are on round-the-clock patrol at Beijing airport and the four major railway stations. Long-distance bus depots and subways are on high alert too.

The China Daily quoted Liu as saying that the earlier host cities had adopted similar security measures and that the BOCOG will try to balance safety and festivity.

This is the first time China is holding such a big sports event, he said.

"The huge number of people coming to China can make terrorists launch an attack," he added.

After Monday's bus explosions in Kunming, Beijing has intensified security checks at bus stations and in public transport, he said.

Painstaking efforts have been made to strengthen community patrols, crack down on criminal activities and tighten management over dangerous goods, Liu said. (ANI)