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 21 August 2008 20:43 BST

Livingstone slams role of Chinese flame attendants

Wednesday, 16 Apr 2008 08:23
Ken Livingstone: Allowing Chinese paramilitary police to guard Olympic torch in London was mistake

In Focus 

Ken Livingstone has said allowing graduates of a Chinese paramilitary police academy to guard the Olympic torch on its path through London was a mistake.

The torch's path through London caused an international outcry after the aggressive handling of protestors demonstrating against China's alleged human rights abuses in Tibet, with Lord Sebastian Coe labelling the guards "thugs".

While their task is to prevent the flame from being extinguished - a role they failed in on three occasions as the flame made its way through Paris - they were seen to wrestle protestors to the ground using techniques acquired at China's Armed Police Academy.

The men are reported to have graduated from the academy less than a year ago with some of their colleagues currently employed in Tibet to quell anti-Chinese demonstrations.

Speaking in BBC Radio London debate ahead of the capital's mayoral elections, Mr Livingstone said he was against the Chinese officers having been granted entry to the UK for the torch relay.

"It was wrong and should not have happened," he added.

However, Mr Livingstone denied he had had any prior knowledge that the flame attendants were Chinese paramilitary police.

"Had I known, I would have said it was unacceptable," he explained, while involved in a debate with two of his fellow mayoral candidates, Conservative MP Boris Johnson and former chief of the Metropolitan police Brian Paddick, representing the Liberal Democrats.

"We are not involved in the running of the Olympics during the election campaign."

Blue Peter presenter Konnie Huq's carrying of the torch was disrupted by a pro-Tibet activist attempting to grab the torch and Ms Huq has since described the guards' response as "very robotic".

"They were barking orders like 'run' and 'stop' and I was like, 'Who are these people?'," she added.

In response to the reports regarding the attendants' background, shadow home secretary David Davis wrote to home secretary Jacqui Smith earlier this month.

"Who in the British government authorised their presence and what checks were made as to their background?" he asked.

"They appear to have some role in providing security and were seen manhandling protesters. They even accompanied the torch into Downing Street and were highly visible in the picture with the prime minister."

The planned path of the torch through India has been curtailed, with the relay through New Delhi shortened over fears of further protests.End of story


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