Olympic test events go ahead amid London riots
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LONDON (AP) - As the capital reeled from three days of rioting and looting, Olympic organizers defended security planning for the London Games and pressed ahead Tuesday with sports competitions and meetings leading to next year's showpiece event.
A women's beach volleyball tournament began as scheduled at Horse Guards Parade, with players in bikinis competing on a sand court a short distance from Prime Minister David Cameron's 10 Downing Street residence.
But organizers decided to use two courts instead of one for Tuesday's 12 matches so play could finish nearly three hours early, allowing spectators and staff to leave before dark.
FIVB Beach Volleyball Director Angelo Squeo, who was on site during the Olympic Park bombing at the 1996 Atlanta Games, said he consulted with high-ranking London Olympic organizers and police before taking the decision.
"I will do whatever in order to not put in danger - not even risk putting in danger - anybody here," Squeo told The Associated Press.
A wave of violence and looting has raged across London, as authorities struggled to contain the country's worst unrest since race riots set the capital ablaze in the 1980s. More than 500 people have been arrested in London and over 100 charged so far.
England's exhibition soccer game against the Netherlands on Wednesday at Wembley Stadium - another Olympic venue - was called off to free up police for riot duty.
Cameron cut short his summer vacation in Italy and returned to London to deal with the crisis. He recalled Parliament from its summer recess and said 16,000 officers would be on the streets of the capital Tuesday night - almost tripling the number on the streets Monday night.
The image of the Olympic host city has been tarnished by the images broadcast around the world of buildings and vehicles in flames and looters running amok.
The disorder comes less than two weeks after London celebrated the one-year countdown to the opening of the games on July 27, 2012, with great fanfare.
On Monday, the violence spread to Hackney, one the boroughs encompassing the Olympic Park in east London. The unrest took place about four miles from the park, site of the main Olympic Stadium and other key venues.
A women's beach volleyball tournament began as scheduled at Horse Guards Parade, with players in bikinis competing on a sand court a short distance from Prime Minister David Cameron's 10 Downing Street residence.
But organizers decided to use two courts instead of one for Tuesday's 12 matches so play could finish nearly three hours early, allowing spectators and staff to leave before dark.
FIVB Beach Volleyball Director Angelo Squeo, who was on site during the Olympic Park bombing at the 1996 Atlanta Games, said he consulted with high-ranking London Olympic organizers and police before taking the decision.
"I will do whatever in order to not put in danger - not even risk putting in danger - anybody here," Squeo told The Associated Press.
A wave of violence and looting has raged across London, as authorities struggled to contain the country's worst unrest since race riots set the capital ablaze in the 1980s. More than 500 people have been arrested in London and over 100 charged so far.
England's exhibition soccer game against the Netherlands on Wednesday at Wembley Stadium - another Olympic venue - was called off to free up police for riot duty.
Cameron cut short his summer vacation in Italy and returned to London to deal with the crisis. He recalled Parliament from its summer recess and said 16,000 officers would be on the streets of the capital Tuesday night - almost tripling the number on the streets Monday night.
The image of the Olympic host city has been tarnished by the images broadcast around the world of buildings and vehicles in flames and looters running amok.
The disorder comes less than two weeks after London celebrated the one-year countdown to the opening of the games on July 27, 2012, with great fanfare.
On Monday, the violence spread to Hackney, one the boroughs encompassing the Olympic Park in east London. The unrest took place about four miles from the park, site of the main Olympic Stadium and other key venues.