A Little Bit of Controversy

The Olympics, wherever they are held, have one abiding characteristic; they cause controversy.



Shortly after the handover of the Olympic responsibility from Athens to Beijing, controversy reared its head again.



This time the issue of Tibet, and its freedom, has been thrown into the Olympic melting pot.



It is reported that two members of the International Tibet Support Network (ITSN) displayed a banner; reading "No Olympic for China until Tibet is Free", at the Ethnic Minorities Park in Beijing.



This park will be part of the 2008 Olympic complex. The two protesters, Han-shan a US citizen and Liam Phelan from Australia, were arrested by the police together with two journalists.



It seems that this is one small action, in a series of increasingly intense protests being planned by ITSN.



The ITSN are campaigning for the Chinese occupation of Tibet to end.



In another action, just before the Games in Athens ended, the campaigners attempted to deliver a banner with 5 bullet holes (akin to the Olympic symbol) to the IOC.



They were stopped by the police, doubtless the police were concerned that the use of the symbol breached the trademark rules which are so jealously guarded by the IOC.