While NBC airs wall-to-wall coverage of the Olympic Games in London, little attention has been paid to what has taken place behind the scenes and just outside Olympic Park where many organizations are mobilizing to bring attention to many issues.
London police arrested 182 people Friday for taking part in the monthly Critical Mass bike ride during the Olympics' opening ceremony. Meanwhile, public outcry is growing after thousands of fans were told the Games were sold out, but prime seats reserved largely for sports federations and corporate sponsors have remained empty.
Democracy Now! speaks at length about the activism going on at the Olympics with scholar and former U.S. soccer team member, Jules Boykoff, in London. Boykoff has been in England since April researching a book on dissent and the Olympics.
Boykoff says people are upset by the many empty seats because this year's Olympics is estimated to cost British taxpayers a staggering $17 billion.
"If you calculate who's actually kicking in that money, somewhere between 88 and 98 percent is being paid for by the British taxpaying public, so 88 to 98 percent," Boykoff says. "British taxpayers are told that this is a public-private partnership, but it's an extremely lopsided one at that."
On top of this, British citizens have been experiencing grueling austerity measures in the wake of the worldwide financial crisis.
"People here in London know that Europe is roiling in austerity. They've seen serious budget cuts here in the U.K., and they're none too happy about having to pay the price for this Olympic Games," Boykoff says.
Recently, former Prime Minister Tony Blair described the Olympics as a "gigantic schmooze-athon" -- one that Boykoff notes is for "corporates," as stated by credit rating agency, Moody's.
"That schmooze-athon is not going to be for the people of Newham, one of the boroughs, one of the poorest areas in London who's hosting the Games. It's not going to be for the people of the Clays Lane Estate, who were kicked out of their homes, some 400-plus of them, and had their places bulldozed to make way for Olympic venues. It's going to be for the corporates."
And while much attention has been given to the expulsion of Greek athlete Voula Papachristou for a racist comment she made on Twitter, there is little awareness of the racist policies surrounding the Games.
"There's a dispersal zone set up around East London, that if there's more than two people in them, police can come along if they think they're engaging in antisocial behavior and kick them out of the area and make them not return," Boykoff reports. "And so, we see those, and those are inordinately pressed against marginalized populations and racial minorities."
Activists are also outraged that the Olympics' long list of sponsors include Dow Chemical and BP, companies with human rights records that critics say are at odds with the Olympic ideals of global peace and goodwill.
All of these issues provide a rare opportunity for activist voices to be heard.
"We often say [at protests] that the entire world is watching, the whole world is watching. And, in fact, at the Olympics, it almost is," Boykoff says. "This is a real opportunity for activists to put their ideas in front of people who might not otherwise be able to or willing to listen to them."
Democracy Now! has reported on dissent at summer and winter Olympic games for 15 years. See these reports in our news archive, click here.
Click here to read the complete transcript of this interview and for more information about Democracy Now!, an independent, global weekday news hour.
Join Democracy Now! on Facebook, and share with a friend!
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.