[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 61 (Thursday, April 17, 2008)]
[House]
[Page H2453]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          OLYMPIC TORCH THUGS

  (Mr. PITTS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PITTS. Madam Speaker, with the Olympic torch traveling the world 
right now, we are seeing the Chinese Government's true repressive 
colors. Everywhere it stops, it is accompanied by a group of Chinese 
guards who have been called ``thugs'' in the press.
  I am not surprised that Chinese leaders would send secret police 
along to protect the torch, but I am surprised the United States would 
be so complicit in putting down dissent that they would allow members 
of the Chinese secret police into the United States to ensure the 
security of the relay.
  Are we so concerned with appeasing China that we could not ensure the 
security of the flame ourselves?
  The group designated to protect the torch is from the paramilitary 
People's Armed Police, the same force that helped to violently quash 
the recent protests in Tibet, now using brute force to ensure that 
protestors in cities like Paris, London and San Francisco, will not 
interrupt the ceremonial relay.
  Maybe the Chinese need to be reminded that repression and torture are 
not Olympic sports.

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