VICTORIA, COAST SALISH TERRITORIES, MAY 21, 2009 – The Royal Bank-sponsored
“Olympic Torch Practice Run” was greeted at its first stop by a “Practice
Protest” in downtown Victoria this morning.
A prototype of the Olympic Torch is visiting five Victoria RBC locations this
week to “practice” for the Olympic Torch Relay, which will begin at Mile
Zero in Victoria on October 30, 2009. The “Olympic Torch Welcoming
Committee” wielded banners, signs, and noisemakers to “practice”
protesting the Olympic Torch relay.
“We’re here today because homeless people could be housed for a fraction of
what the Torch Relay is costing taxpayers,” said spokesperson Zoe Blunt.
“We’re here because First Nations peoples’ land rights are still violated
daily, social justice activists are facing increasing harassment and
surveillance, and our children and grandchildren will still be paying for this
extravagance years from now.”
Chief of Police Jamie Graham warned activists gathered inside the bank that
they would be arrested if they “defaced” property after one person wrote
“No Olympics on Stolen Land” on a banner made available for public signing.
Other members of the “Olympic Torch Welcoming Committee” were expelled from
the public celebrations inside RBC by Victoria police and private security
guards for carrying anti-Olympic signs drawn on cardboard.
On the street outside the Fort and Douglas RBC location, protesters were under
the close surveillance of uniformed and plain-clothed police.
“We’re quite surprised that a group of 30 Victoria residents with
hand-painted banners, signs and one megaphone merited such a hefty security
presence”, said No 2010 Victoria organizer Tamara Herman. “We could think
of better ways of spending the $1 billion security bill for the 2010 Olympics.
Then again, we could also think of better ways of spending the $500,000 that
the City of Victoria has put aside for the Torch Relay.”
RBC has received negative attention for its sponsorship of the 2010 Games and
its investments in Alberta's tar sands environmental disaster. No 2010
Victoria, a coalition of anti-Olympic activists and groups, is organizing a
campaign targeted the Torch Relay and its corporate sponsors.
For more information: Zoe Blunt, 250-885-8219
No 2010 Victoria
