Several hundred people critical of the economic impact and corporate flavor of the Olympics marched near the city’s Olympic Park on Saturday, determined to send a message that Britain was not united in backing the games. (July 28)
[Location – Date:LONDON — AP VIDEO — JULY 28]
[Source:]
[VO:]
[INSERT: Wire Copy]
Several hundred people critical of the economic impact and corporate flavour of the Olympics marched near the city’s Olympic Park on Saturday, determined to send a message that Britain was not united in backing the games.
They marched past the Bow Quarter residential block where the army, in a highly controversial move, has deployed surface-to-air missiles on the roof as part of Olympic security measures.
The roof overlooks the Olympic Stadium.
Campaigners also denounced what they described as the corporate nature of the Games.
Protest organizer Julian Cheyne attacked what he sees as the failure of the Games to uphold its high ideals.
“Our intention is to draw attention to the failures to keep promises, because the Olympics makes all sorts of claims that are basically untrue,” he said.
Some demonstrators targeted Olympic sponsor Dow Chemical because of the company’s corporate link to the Bhopal disaster.
“This is an ethical Olympics; Dow does not help the people in Bhopal,” Cheyne asserted.
He denied that he was spoiling Britain’s Olympic party, saying a very large body of opinion in the UK was against the Games.
The protest drew a variety of groups ranging from campaigners against the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, to anti-war campaigners who think former British premier Tony Blair should face a war crimes trial because of Britain’s role in Iraq.
(****END****)
ANCHOR VOICE:
————————-
VIDEO PRODUCER: ned barker
—————————
VIDEO SOURCE: aptn
———————–
VIDEO APPROVAL: ned barker
—————————-
VIDEO RESTRICTIONS: none
———————————-
MARKET EMBARGO (S): None
——————————–
SCRIPT/WIRE SOURCE: vt1324
AP-APTN-1530: ++UK Olympics Protest<
^Saturday, 28 July 2012<
————————————
