While NBC has been airing wall-to-wall
coverage of Olympic Games in London, little attention has been paid to
what has taken place behind the scenes and just outside Olympic Park
where many organizations are mobilizing to bring attention to many
issues. London police arrested 182 people Friday for taking part in the
monthly Critical Mass bike ride during the Olympics’ opening ceremony.
Meanwhile, public outcry is growing after thousands of fans were told
the Games were sold out, but prime seats reserved largely for sports
federations and corporate sponsors have remained empty. Although many
locals cannot afford to attend the Games, this year’s Olympics is
estimated to cost British taxpayers a staggering $17 billion. Residents
have been subjected to sweeping censorship laws enacted by their
government at the behest of the International Olympic Committee.
Meanwhile, activists are outraged that the Olympics’ long list of
sponsors include Dow Chemical and BP, companies with human rights
records that critics say are at odds with the Olympic ideals of global
peace and goodwill. We go to London to speak with scholar and former
U.S. soccer team member Jules Boykoff, who has been in England since
April researching a book on dissent and the Olympics. "The Olympics
provide a real opportunity for activists. We often say [at protests]
that the entire world is watching, the whole world is watching. And, in
fact, at the Olympics, it almost is," Boykoff says. "This is a real
opportunity for activists to put their ideas in front of people who
might not otherwise be able to or willing to listen to them."Video
Source: Democracy Now!
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