Austin Ramzy writes in Time Magazine:
The Hash House Harriers is a social group of runners that meets in cities all over the world to go for a jog followed by a few beers. It calls itself “a drinking club with a running problem.” But in Beijing two weeks ago, the Hash House Harriers ran into a more serious problem. After a five-mile jaunt through a bar district in eastern Beijing, seven runners were detained by police on suspicion that they were involved in a terrorist plot. “We did not imagine that, of all the things that could happen, we’d get arrested for running,” says one participant.
It wasn’t the running, per se, that got the Harriers in trouble. Police suspected that the baking flour the runners used to mark their route was a toxic powder. After the run ended, they were taken into custody and interviewed for several hours while police conducted forensic tests on the flour. At 4 a.m. they were finally allowed to go home. The experience was particularly unsettling because there was nothing unusual about the Harriers’ event — the group has been gathering for runs in Beijing since the 1980s. So why did police decide to pay such close attention now? “Paranoia,” says the runner.
Also from the Reuters, via Youtube:
May. 29 – Chinese anti-terrorist officers demonstrate police techniques and skills in the run-up to Beijing Olympics.
Chinese forces foiled mock riots in Olympic security drills designed to display the country’s readiness for anything weeks before the Games open in Beijing.
The show of force comes days after the head of Interpol warned there was a “real possibility” that the Games would be targeted by terrorists, and as the Olympic torch is dogged by anti-Chinese protests as it makes its way around the world.
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOcPxsVoYHU&eurl=http://video.google.com/videosearch?client=safari&rls=en&q=youtube+olympics+2008&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&u]
