The Vancouver Olympics Cables: Day 3

From Feb. 14, 2010, as published April 28, 2011 by WikiLeaks

10VANCOUVER66 2010-02-14 21:09 2011-04-28 00:12 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Consulate Vancouver

UNCLAS VANCOUVER 000066

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR DS/TIA
STATE FOR DS/DSS/DO
STATE FOR DS/P/MECU
STATE FOR DS/DO/P
STATE FOR DS/ICI/CI
STATE FOR DS/T/ATA
STATE FOR DS/TIA/ITA
STATE FOR DS/TIA/PII
STATE FOR DS/TIA/CC
STATE FOR S/CT
STATE FOR CA/OCS/ACS/WHA
STATE FOR DS/IP/WHA
STATE FOR WHA/CAN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC KOLY CASC CA PTER AMGT PINR OVIP
SUBJECT: Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics: Situation Report #4

¶1. (SBU) The following report provides security-related
information for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games as of noon
on February 14, 2010. Please visit the following link for
additional classified reporting:
https://nol.nctc.sgov.gov/ng/cgi-bin/nctcHome .cgi?event=Vancouver_2
¶010. The interagency USG Joint Operations Center can be contacted
on a 24-hour basis at 604-692-2509, ext 4013.



SECURITY ISSUES



Olympic Protests:



¶2. (SBU) February 13 Protest Activity - Approximately 250
individuals - many of them affiliated with so-called "Black Bloc"
anarchist groups - engaged in acts of vandalism during the "Heart
Attack" march, which was apparently part of a broader "2010
Autonomous Day of Action." One group threw red paint at the Hudson
Bay Company store at Granville and Robson Streets and smashed two
windows with a newspaper box. In a similar incident, the Toronto
Dominion Bank sustained damage to one of its street-level windows.
Newspaper boxes, rubbish bins, and caf???? furniture were also
dragged
into the street at various locations to obstruct traffic. Broken
windows and spray paint graffiti on cars and buses were reported at
other locations. Vancouver Police arrested at least seven for
attempted assault at West Georgia and Cardero Streets. The Lions
Gate Bridge was also temporarily closed to vehicular traffic due to
reports that protestors were moving in that direction. The bridge
was never affected and later reopened.

¶3. (SBU) Current Protest Activity - The 19th Annual Women's
March will take place from noon to 4 p.m. today. The march will
begin at the Carnegie Community Centre and proceed through Downtown
Eastside. This event is not Olympics-related, and anti-Olympics
protesters are discouraged from attending. Vancouver's 36th Annual
Chinese New Year Parade, expected to draw up to 20,000 people,
coincides with the march.



¶4. (SBU) Anticipated Protest Activity - Another "2010
Autonomous Day of Action" is scheduled for Monday, February 15. As
evidenced in Saturday's demonstrations, small groups of anarchists
may engage in acts of vandalism and confrontations with local law
enforcement. An "Anti-War and Anti-Militarization Moving
Spectacle" will take place at the Vancouver Art Gallery (Georgia
Street side) at 6 p.m.



Incidents:



¶5. (SBU) Subject Detained at Opening Ceremonies - An
individual who attempted to enter the International Olympic
Committee presidential box inside BC Place during Friday's Opening
Ceremonies using fake accreditation was detained. While the motive
is unclear, the subject is not a known activist and did not appear
to have malicious intent.



Threats:

¶6. (SBU) At this time, there are no known specific, credible
terrorist threats against the Vancouver Olympics.



¶7. (SBU/LES) Alleged threat to Olympics deemed non-credible -
According to Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) information,
Vancouver police were notified that an inmate at Pinellas County
Jail, Florida, conversed with a prisoner of Arabic origin regarding
a possible terrorist attack on February 20 involving an aircraft
flown into the main area of the Olympics in Vancouver (NFI). The
FBI ascertained no individuals matching the alleged Arabic inmate
are presently incarcerated. This threat is considered non-credible.






SECURITY OPERATIONS



¶8. (SBU) U.S. Vice President Joe Biden is scheduled to attend
several Olympic events in Vancouver today. The Vice President is
scheduled to depart Vancouver on Monday, February 15.





PUBLIC AFFAIRS/PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

¶9. Public affairs staff continued to assist White House
advance with setting up press interviews, with Vice President Biden
taping one interview with NBC Saturday evening, and another with
CBS on Sunday morning. The Globe and Mail's Jane Tabor has
requested an interview with Ambassador Jacobson for early next
week. No press inquiries on Olympic-specific topics.



CONSULAR ISSUES



¶10. There is no significant information or activity to report.

POLITICAL/GENERAL ISSUES



¶11. Vice-President Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen
Harper held a bi-lateral meeting Saturday. They discussed issues
ranging from security to the economy and the upcoming G8 and G20
summits. (Will be reported septel).



¶12. Unseasonably warm weather conditions, fog, and heavy rain
continue to interfere with Olympic competitions. Olympic officials
have been forced to reschedule many outdoor events.



¶13. During a rainstorm on Cypress Mountain, American women's
freestyle mogul skier Hannah Kearney upset Canadian gold medal

hopeful Jenn Heil to unexpectedly take the first US gold medal of
the Games. Canadian efforts to win a gold medal on Canadian soil,
a feat never achieved in the Winter Olympics, has been a constant
feature of Canadian media coverage leading up to the 2010 Games. A
schedule and results of all competitions throughout the Games can
be found at http://www.vancouver2010.com/olympic-schedule -results/.







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CHICOLA