2010 Olympic Rant #43 5-Ring Circus Security Blanket Bingo · 30.01.10 by colin newell
With over 15,000 highly-trained security personnel, backed by a lethal arsenal of military hardware, Vancouver is about to be wrapped in a billion-dollar security blanket for the Winter Olympics.
The threat? Frustrated and fed up Vancouver residents and British Columbians in general who are fed to the teeth with the 5-ring go for gold farce… soon to begin.
To counter potential threats from terrorism, crime and violent protests at the February 12-28 Games, 15,500 highly paid police, military and private security guards have descended like rabid bats on our fair West Coast city.
A spokesperson for the Integrated Security Unit (ISU) offered… “We are continually monitoring and examining all potential threats and risks. We don’t elaborate on what information we receive.”
“We are planning to a medium threat level, and we can ramp that up or down. The games right now are at a low level.”
No kidding. Because apart from city dwellers and the odd flag waving protester there is no threat. None.
Vancouver, situated between a delta, the US border, rivers, ocean and mountains, security plans call for navy divers, air force helicopters to transport SWAT teams quickly, surveillance cameras, police dogs, snowmobiles and even fighter jets — which the North American Aerospace Defense Command has said will use “lethal force” if necessary.
Cool. Lethal force. Comforting.
The ISU’s official task is to protect Olympic athletes and officials, VIPs, nine competition venues and 18 other locations including the athletes’ village and media centers.
Nothing about protecting the rest of us from imaginary threats.
That is the job of local cops – at least the ones that have not been sucked into ISU duty leaving 98% of the Province largely unprotected.
Fuck.
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