Ever since September 11 security everywhere has heightened, especially at events that could be a target. A perfect example would have to be the Athens 2004 Olympic games.
A couple of weeks ago I was reading about the security measures that organisers had gone to. To me it all seemed a bit over the top and excessive. It may be stating the obvious that you can't take a bomb to events, but other items on the list include rather innocent items. Food, small change, Frisbees, non-copyright Olympic t-shirts and banners are up there on the list of contraband items alongside guns, knives, motorcycles, pets and flags of countries not participating in the Olympics.
Planning on taking a bomb into an Olympic venue - unfortunately the news just to hand is that you won't be allowed to take it into the stadiums with you. In fact there isn't much you are allowed to take in with you. A list of items NOT to take to athens has just been released by Olympic organizers. It includes:
- Skateboards
- Propaganda
- Food
- Small change
- Knives
- Non-copyright Olympic T-shirts
- Banners larger than one square metre
- Motorcycles
- Guns
- Cans of Drink
- Pets
- Bicycles
- Frisbee
- Flags of countries not participating in the Games
- Umbrellas
"It may be stating the obvious to say the Greek government has banned Olympic spectators from bringing bombs to events, but it has also asked them to leave their skateboards, propaganda, small change and non-copyright Olympic T-shirts at home.
And that's not all.
Banners larger than one square metre (yard) will be confiscated, as will motorcycles, skateboards, bicycles and even the seemingly innocuous Frisbee, according to a long list issued by the public order ministry.
"Anyone who notices the presence of such an object or sees a person in possession of one is requested to immediately inform the police because security is everyone's business," the ministry said in a statement accompanyi...