Clinton urges Bush to boycott Olympics as protests start (Roundup)

US News

Apr 7, 2008, 22:59 GMT

Washington/San Francisco - Senator Hillary Clinton called Monday for President George W Bush to boycott the opening ceremonies at the Beijing Olympics in August because of China's crackdown in Tibet and other human-rights abuses. Demonstrators scaled the Golden Gate Bridge unfurling two banners in San Francisco, California, USA, 07 April 2008. The three climbers are members of Students for a Free Tibet and their action comes just two days before the Olympic torch is to make its San Francisco stop -- the only stop in North America -- en route to Beijing, where the Summer Olympics will be held in August. The banner read:

Demonstrators scaled the Golden Gate Bridge unfurling two banners in San Francisco, California, USA, 07 April 2008. The three climbers are members of Students for a Free Tibet and their action comes just two days before the Olympic torch is to make its San Francisco stop -- the only stop in North America -- en route to Beijing, where the Summer Olympics will be held in August. The banner read: "One World, One Dream, Free Tibet 08," EPA/MONICA M. DAVEY'At this time and in light of recent events, I believe President Bush should not plan on attending the opening ceremonies in Beijing, absent major changes by the Chinese government,' said Clinton, who is locked in a tight race with Barack Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination. Clinton's statement came as protests began in San Francisco in anticipation of Wednesday's arrival of the Olympic torch, whose journey Monday through the streets of Paris was marred by clashes between protestors and French police. Three protestors climbed San Francisco's famous Golden Gate Bridge and unfurled a Tibetan flag and banners proclaiming 'One World One Dream' and 'Free Tibet.' 'We are part of the global independent movement for Tibet, and we are calling the world's attention to what's happening in Tibet right now,' protestor Laurel Sutherlin told a local TV station as he dangled more than 50 meters above the bridge's deck. 'China is trying to take this Olympic torch around the world and use it as an opportunity to become a global player. We are looking to unmask this propaganda and let the world know there's brutal oppression happening in Tibet.' Police arrested four people on the bridge who appeared to be the support team for the cable climbers, before taking the three climbers into custody when they descended after two hours aloft. The torch procession has been plagued by several protests, including at the initial lighting in Greece. Clinton faulted Beijing for the violence in Tibet and for 'the failure of the Chinese government to use its full leverage with Sudan to stop the genocide in Darfur.' She said that the Bush administration had been 'wrong to downplay human rights in its policy towards China.' Bush has said he intends to participate in the opening ceremonies but will continue to press China on its human-rights record and to open dialogue with Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama. 'We have a great deal of concern about human rights in China, ... and we have never been afraid to express those views, either directly by the president or the president's senior advisers when they travel to China, and publicly,' said Tony Fratto, a White House spokesman. San Francisco police were readying for major protests along the only US parade route for the Olympic torch relay. The path along the waterfront is designed to minimize potential disruptions by numerous protest groups. A declarations from the San Francisco's governing Board of Supervisors calling on the city to greet the Olympic torch with 'alarm and protest.' US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the agency stands ready to assist San Francisco and California state authorities with any security needs. 'Clearly there's been a lot of emotion surrounding this issue worldwide. We've seen that,' McCormack said. 'People have the right to freely express themselves around the world. If they have differences with the Chinese government on any variety of issues, they should have the ability to express themselves in a peaceful way.'

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SP4: We urge Clinton...Apr 8th, 2008 - 16:47:05

..to not sell influence to the Chinese, again, like the did in the 1990's, and like she got caught doing with Mr. Penn in Columbia.

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???Apr 8th, 2008 - 16:53:09

The Chinese never should have been given the honor of the Olympics. Why are the protestors just now starting? This protest should have been started the moment China was announced! Maybe the Olympic committee could have rescinded the offer due to worldwide protest? It's too late to stop it now, all we can do is let the Chinese government know what we think of them and their scummy country. They need to step up, and shape up, or continue facing this humiliation. I've already boycotted (a few years ago) anything that says MADE IN CHINA, it's easy to find things made in the USA, Japan, or India. Everybody should do it too, that'll teach them to violate humans rights. Hit em in the wallet until they start treating people with respect.

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A stupid demandApr 8th, 2008 - 21:24:26

Games are not political and keep politics out of sports!

How much freedom is in Hillary's own land? A person cannot have freedom of religion even SHAME! SHAME!

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edApr 9th, 2008 - 02:05:29

speaking of bush
i looked at my ass in the mirror today and sure enough it is bush's clone

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No EdApr 9th, 2008 - 04:22:56

That was YOUR face.

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HilaryApr 9th, 2008 - 06:21:04

Is stupid. She will never become candidate for the democrats let alone win the presidency. She is also ugly and no wonder her husband had a nice meeting with Monica in the closet of the white house. Suckey suckey......

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to No EdApr 9th, 2008 - 11:30:26

so that was you..ah-ha

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willemApr 9th, 2008 - 16:53:06

down with filthy america

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andrewApr 9th, 2008 - 21:10:25

urge bush to hang himeself and do america a favor

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ShannonApr 10th, 2008 - 00:14:24

there is no politician who is not a corporate puppet and that includes Obama - his followers are delusional

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Free TibetApr 10th, 2008 - 05:49:19

Over the last 60 years over 1.2 million Tibetans have been massacred in cold blood by the Chinese military. Why has the world remained silent? Why?

China's human rights abuses are 'staggering': the detention of hundreds of thousands of people, including political activists, for 'reeducation' programs, and forced labor camps; and the liberal use of the death penalty in China -- including for political prisoners -- which makes China the site of 8 of every 10 government administered executions carried out in the world!

It is clear that the Communists can't be trusted at all and they have a bag full of tricks to fool not only Tibetans but the people of China with a state-controlled press. The solution is a free Tibet. There is no doubt that a sovereign Tibet would be a savior state not only for Tibetans but for all ethnic groups of China who have nowhere to go if they disagree with the CCP. A free Tibet would be such a free democratic heaven and haven.

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TO: A stupid demandApr 11th, 2008 - 05:49:07

Since when have the Olympics NOT been political? Do you not remember the total US boycot of the Moscow Olympics over the Afghanistan situation? Please don't do an SP4 stunt and deny that one, or say that was different.

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