Other measures included deploying 70,000 volunteers to
patrol sites and to keep an eye out for potential
trouble, the paper said.
Crime, terrorism and
disorderly conduct are routine considerations at
international sporting events. Yet, China's
authoritarian communist government has additional
worries over protests by political or religious
dissenters that could tarnish its image during an event
it hopes will boost its legitimacy at home and image
abroad.
China's top-ranking policeman, public security
minister Zhou Yongkang, has demanded police "strictly
guard against and strike hard at hostile forces at home
and abroad" who might threaten the games. He listed
"ethnic splitism, religious extremism," terrorism and
the banned Falun Gong spiritual group as major threats.
"Ethnic splitism" often refers to groups such as
Tibetans who seek greater independence or autonomy.
Police and government research bodies are also
compiling lists of potentially disruptive foreign
groups, including evangelical Christian and activists
wanting Beijing to use its oil-buying leverage with
Sudan to end the strife in Darfur.
Beijing already has large scores of security cameras
to keep an eye on traffic and activities in public
spaces such as Tiananmen Square in the heart of the
capital of 15 million people.
Sunday's game against Barcelona has raised special
concern because Guo'an's fans have in past built a
reputation for vulgar chants at games, known as the
"Beijing jeer."
Fans detained for what police consider "serious
misbehavior" can be detained for several days, fined,
banned from attending matches for up to one year, or
simply let off with a warning, the Beijing Youth Daily
said.
Late last month, police announced that an
unidentified 20-year-old soccer fan had been banned for
12 months from attending matches in Beijing. The man was
also being held by police for using the Internet to
organize rowdy fans at matches.
That came days after Liu Qi, president of the Beijing
Olympic organizing committee, called on local residents
to shape up.
"Everybody should cultivate good habits from now on,"
Liu told 1,600 people attending a rally. "Everybody
should follow and protect public order, no matter if you
are driving or walking. Clean words, clean environment
and clean air. Clean up bad habits such as spitting,
throwing rubbish and so on."
About 550,000 foreigners are expected for the
Olympics, joined by 22,000 journalists. Highly sensitive
to the image China will transmit during the Games,
officials have been admonishing citizens for months to
stop spitting, swearing, improve driving habits and line
up neatly.
