Let the Games Begin: Protests Under Way Ahead of 2008 Beijing Olympics

Let the Games Begin: Protests Under Way Ahead of 2008 Beijing Olympics

KATMANDU, Nepal -- In the thin air of Mount Everest base camp last week, a group of five American activists thumbed their frozen noses at the Chinese Government by holding their own "opening ceremony" on behalf of Tibet.

They unfurled a banner that parodied China's Olympic slogan: "One World, One Dream, Free Tibet 2008," it read. As a cameraman sent live images via the Internet, the activists even lit their own torch and sang the Tibetan national anthem -- minutes before Chinese border guards took them into custody.

The stunt was the latest effort to use next year's Olympic Games as a platform for advocacy on issues such as Tibet, Taiwan and human rights.

Keep reading for free

Already a subscriber? Log in here .

Get instant access to the rest of this article by creating a free account below. You'll also get access to three articles of your choice each month and our free newsletter:
Subscribe for an All-Access subscription to World Politics Review
  • Immediate and instant access to the full searchable library of tens of thousands of articles.
  • Daily articles with original analysis, written by leading topic experts, delivered to you every weekday.
  • The Daily Review email, with our take on the day’s most important news, the latest WPR analysis, what’s on our radar, and more.