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Saigon on the afternoon of the torch ceremony (29 April 2008) |
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"Walking along I saw no city, no houses, only a rain of red flags"
Saigon at 3 p.m.
1. Police chase all people away from the ground in front of the City Opera House. No one is allowed to either come in or come out after that.
2. Organizers set up 16 rows of chairs for Chinese and Vietnamese officials to sit.
3. Hundreds of Chinese students (including undercover Chiense security) continue to wave Chinese flags.
4. On the stage there are three flags – China, Vietnam, and Olympic.
Saigon at 5 p.m.
1. A few hundred people are allowed to come in for the opening ceremony, including Chinese officials, and Vietnamese representatives from Vietnam’s Communist Youth League, Vietnam Fatherland Front, People’s Committee of HCMC,…
2. There are about 100 foreign and Vietnamese journalists taking pictures, recording films, and running about in front of the stage.
3. There are many police cars, emergency vehicles around the area.
4. The people and students stand in groups on the corner of Le Loi and Nguyen Hue avenues looking on. Pushing occurs because the police and security with great numbers forbid anyone entering the area. Nevertheless, at the same time, Chinese students are able to walk about inside and outside the area without any hindrance.
5. People who gathered at the Reunification Park and the Notre Dame Cathedral were driven out at 2:30 p.m. The police isolated this area completely.
Saigon at 5:15 p.m.
Chinese flags fill the area of Le Loi street close to the City Opera House. The police are everywhere. No demonstrations can take place because of the heavy police presence. All the loud noises and activities come from the Chinese people. Chinese students are able to freely parade in large groups and raise Chinese flags and banners in Chinese and English.
Saigon at 5:45 p.m.
Mobile telephone signal is cut off in the City Opera House area.
Saigon at 6 p.m.
1. While the simple opening ceremony is taking place in front of the City Opera House, the police are clearing the streets in which the torch would pass, such as Le Loi, Pasteur, Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Nguyen Van Troi.
2. On either side of the streets, only the members of the Vietnam Fatherland Front of HCMC, Vietnam Communist Youths, etc.. holding Olympic flags are allowed to stand.
3. All people on the sidewalks on the relay route are forced by the police to keep moving or join the Vietnam Fatherland Front group. Anyone not following orders are checked for documents.
4. At the same time, Chinese students in groups of 10-20 are holding up Chinese flags parading fleely about the city without police hindrance.
Saigon at 6:35 p.m.
The torch is lit. A long procession of cars with Chinese flags is seen, and loud cheers from Chinese people are heard. Vietnamese flags seem to not be seen and Vietnamese sounds drowned out. There are only sounds of Chinese on the street of Vietnam.
(according to information on blog: http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-KMd8BGwhaa8mtAF4pgc8Gaj7LfT3vm0Y?p=2331#comments)
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