Behind the security screening tents that fed spectators into China’s national stadium for the opening ceremony, a low-profile parking lot sat just out of the public eye. In a fenced field with lingering patches of tall grass, the spinning radar installations scanning the skies above the stadium were powerful reminders of how seriously China is taking Olympic security concerns.
Under normal circumstances, Beijing is for the most part an open and accessible city. Outside of the embassy districts, one rarely sees the green-garbed paramilitary officers who have become an ubiquitous element of China’s Olympics. Although heightened security was certainly anticipated, the visible contrast is still remarkable. Prior to the opening ceremony, columns of security personal marched along major avenues. White, six-wheeled armored vehicles were placed at strategic intersections by the national stadium, while police goaded curious pedestrians through corridors of tape and away from the venue. If the fluidity and breadth of the security operations put into full view on Friday night are any indication, the Chinese government is likely to deliver on its promise for a safe Olympics. At the same time, the world will get a rare look at China’s sophisticated urban control capabilities.
Despite extensive road closures and limited access to the areas surrounding Olympic facilities, most Beijing residents seem to recognize the need for the strict security measures that have accompanied the Games. For most Chinese, Olympic tickets are too few or too expensive, and those who hope to catch a glimpse of the new national monuments to sport and country must do so from the other side of a security barricade. Yet there seems to be a joyful patience in their admiration of the “Bird’s Nest” from afar. If the government plans to operate the facilities as tourist attractions or mixed-use commercial spaces following the Games, as reported recently by Caijing Magazine, the public’s day will most certainly come. In the meantime, pride and excitement will suffice.
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