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US warns on torch flare-ups US citizens in Hong Kong and Macau were warned
yesterday about personal safety and told to exercise caution against
protests that may flare up during events between May 1 and 3.
The US consulate-general in Hong Kong issued the message in relation to
Macaus annual Labor Day march, which has been marked by violence in the
past, next Thursday and the Olympic torch relays in Hong Kong next Friday
and in Macau the day after that.
Protests can escalate with little warning, disrupting transportation
systems and city services and posing risks to travelers personal safety,
the consulate said in e-mails to US citizens.
American citizens should also monitor news reports regarding the
location of any disturbances that may occur.
The warning came as police in Australia tussled with mainland torch
escorts as the Olympic torch was taken through Canberra amid rowdy
demonstrations by thousands of Chinese supporters and pro-Tibet
protesters.
Seven people were arrested on the sidelines as police and the flame
guardians physically played out a long- running dispute over who was in
charge of security.
The warning also followed reports that an American teacher, 22, was
attacked by an anti-Carrefour mob in Zhuzhou, Hunan province. The news was
said to have been brought to the attention of the US embassy in Beijing.
But Scott McKay, an American postgraduate student in Hong Kong, is not
worried about his personal safety or that of any foreigner in Hong Kong.
This seems like a strange announcement because they are lumping
together three very different events, he said.
It is pretty ridiculous they feel a warning is necessary.
Secretary for Security Ambrose Lee Siu-kwong said yesterday there was
no evidence that Tibetan separatists had entered Hong Kong illegally,
contrary to published reports.
Any information or evidence should not be taken lightly, and we will
stringently defend our boundaries, he said.
He maintained the security risk assessment for the torch relay is
moderate.
"I also appeal to those who wish to stage protests or
demonstrations to exercise restraint and not to provoke the sentiment of
spectators," Lee said.
He added that it was protesters' "personal judgment" on
whether to carry Tibetan flags on the day.
The government expects "hundreds of thousands" of people to
welcome the torch.
Tens of thousands of police, as well as officers from the fire
services, Home Affairs Bureau and government headquarters, will be
deployed to monitor the event.
Acting police commissioner Yam Tat-wing also dismissed the threat of
people sneaking into Hong Kong illegally to disrupt the torch relay
despite a rise in the number of illegal Southeast Asian immigrants
arriving since last year.
"We have regular meetings with our counterparts in the mainland
and Macau to discuss joint cooperation and tactics in dealing with such a
problem," Yam said after meeting his Macau and Guangdong counterparts
yesterday.
Yam said China's "torch guards" will be allowed to encircle
the torch bearers during the Hong Kong run, while the police ensure the
event is conducted in a "peaceful and solemn way."
Beijing abruptly shut the door yesterday on foreign media seeking to
cover the torch's Mount Everest ascent after journalists raised concerns
over health and reporting curbs in Tibet.
Japan will shut out the public at the start, midpoint and end of its
leg of the Olympic torch relay tomorrow, although they will be able to
watch the 18.7 kilometer relay from behind a fence. 2008-04-26 |
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