Damn, Presidential security has been sucking lately.
http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20100217/bc_olympics_biden_breech_100217/20100217
QuoteMan infatuated with U.S. VP breaches 2010 security
By: ctvbc.ca
Date: Wednesday Feb. 17, 2010 3:29 PM PT
A mentally ill man with a homemade security pass was able to get within metres of U.S. Vice President Joe Biden during a security breach at the Opening Ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, CTV News has learned.
As dozens of police held back thousands of protestors outside of BC Place in Vancouver, a 48-year-old British Columbia man slipped past several layers of security inside the venue, said RCMP Assistant Commissioner Bud Mercer, the head of the 2010 Integrated Security Unit (ISU).
Mercer said the man's target was clear.
"He had an infatuation with the US Vice President."
Biden was seated in a section reserved for dignitaries. Twelve steps away from the VP and out of view of the cameras, the man started making his way down the stairs after the national anthem ended.
That's when two female plainclothes Mounties charged with protecting Biden acted, Mercer said.
"They described him to me as simply not fitting in," he said.
"They approached him, determined that the accreditation he was carrying was forged or fake, confronted him and escorted him out one or two steps at which point he attempted to run and was taken into custody."
Mercer, who heads up the unit tasked with securing the Games, says members of his team were also providing security for the Vice President while he was in Vancouver taking in Olympic events.
Mercer says the man was not carrying a weapon and did not intend to harm Biden.
He had managed to get close to him with a homemade all-access pass.
A picture of the pass obtained by CTV News makes clear it had nothing to do with the Opening Ceremony and appears to be text printed off the internet and laminated.
Mercer says checking passes is the responsibility of the Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee and event services on the outside of the venue.
In order to get into the stadium, the public first had to pass through a checkpoint manned by Vanoc staff.
Those people do not fall under the umbrella of the official billion dollar security team which involves thousands of police and military personal.
The man did encounter officers at the next checkpoint -- where he was scanned for potential weapons. But Mercer says police would have assumed his credentials were in order because he got past the first entry point.
He insists the security system did work -- eventually – and that the vice president was never in danger. Mercer said Biden's secret service staff complimented the two Mounties involved.
"I think the exact words were 'job well done. Remind me not to mess with you,'" he said.
The RCMP says it has not made any changes to it security protocols because of the breech.
Police say the man will not face charges. He has been committed to a psychiatric facility for treatment.
With a report from CTV's Rob Brown
Infatuated with Biden!? Definitely mentally ill. :blink:
Dammit - Cal beat me to the joke. :ultra:
Quote from: Caliga on February 17, 2010, 07:55:35 PM
Infatuated with Biden!? Definitely mentally ill. :blink:
Hey! :mad:
I win at Interwebs. -_-
Quote
A picture of the pass obtained by CTV News makes clear it had nothing to do with the Opening Ceremony and appears to be text printed off the internet and laminated.
I never thought those things would actually work
Quote from: CountDeMoney on February 17, 2010, 07:56:14 PM
Quote from: Caliga on February 17, 2010, 07:55:35 PM
Infatuated with Biden!? Definitely mentally ill. :blink:
Hey! :mad:
Chill babe, I actually like Biden... but
infatuated with the guy?
Sadly, I saw Biden on TV today and thought Obama was finally turning him into a black man than I remembered it was Ash Wednesday and that was only ashes on his forehead.
Being gay is "mentally ill" now? Backlash.
Quote from: Strix on February 17, 2010, 10:03:39 PM
Sadly, I saw Biden on TV today and thought Obama was finally turning him into a black man than I remembered it was Ash Wednesday and that was only ashes on his forehead.
:huh:
Quote from: The Brain on February 18, 2010, 01:58:31 AM
Being gay is "mentally ill" now? Backlash.
No, a gay who lusts for Biden is.
Quote from: Jaron on February 18, 2010, 02:03:05 AM
Quote from: Strix on February 17, 2010, 10:03:39 PM
Sadly, I saw Biden on TV today and thought Obama was finally turning him into a black man than I remembered it was Ash Wednesday and that was only ashes on his forehead.
:huh:
The ash left a black circle on the middle of his forehead. I had forgotten that it was Ash Wednesday and at first thought it was from his motorcade accident in Vancouver (I wasn't sure of he had been hurt or not).
Whole lotta puffery about nothing. A guy who the cops said explicitly was harmless came within 100 feet of a guy he's into. ZOMG Call Homeland security. Biggest non issue made into an issue at the games yet, and they are (they being the media) trying every single day to cause more scandal. :lame:
Quote from: BuddhaRhubarb on February 18, 2010, 12:05:25 PM
Whole lotta puffery about nothing. A guy who the cops said explicitly was harmless came within 100 feet of a guy he's into. ZOMG Call Homeland security. Biggest non issue made into an issue at the games yet, and they are (they being the media) trying every single day to cause more scandal. :lame:
He had a home made security pass, and what ever else he did to fool authorities to get that close. That's an error by security, and is at least an issue of concern. If the guy had been dangerous things could have turned out quite differently.
Quote from: Strix on February 17, 2010, 10:03:39 PM
Sadly, I saw Biden on TV today and thought Obama was finally turning him into a black man than I remembered it was Ash Wednesday and that was only ashes on his forehead.
I'm happy to report that you no longer have to avoid black people. They can't turn you black.
Quote from: KRonn on February 18, 2010, 01:16:49 PMHe had a home made security pass, and what ever else he did to fool authorities to get that close. That's an error by security, and is at least an issue of concern. If the guy had been dangerous things could have turned out quite differently.
Well, there were two parts to it right?
1. He was checked by security and had no weapons, explosives or anything else dangerous on him. If he had any kind of dangerous materials, he would have been stopped. No one got anything dangerous near Biden and Biden was never in danger. In other words, security did its job.
2. He swindled his way into the venue with a false ticket. This was a fuck-up, but it's not a security issue. If the man had bought a legitimate ticket he could've gotten to exactly the same point and be exactly as (non-)threatening.
Quote from: Strix on February 17, 2010, 10:03:39 PM
Sadly, I saw Biden on TV today and thought Obama was finally turning him into a black man than I remembered it was Ash Wednesday and that was only ashes on his forehead.
How could Obama make Biden black? Even if theoretically possible, wouldn't Obama have to be black? :tinfoil:
Quote from: Jacob on February 18, 2010, 02:08:34 PM
Quote from: KRonn on February 18, 2010, 01:16:49 PMHe had a home made security pass, and what ever else he did to fool authorities to get that close. That's an error by security, and is at least an issue of concern. If the guy had been dangerous things could have turned out quite differently.
Well, there were two parts to it right?
1. He was checked by security and had no weapons, explosives or anything else dangerous on him. If he had any kind of dangerous materials, he would have been stopped. No one got anything dangerous near Biden and Biden was never in danger. In other words, security did its job.
2. He swindled his way into the venue with a false ticket. This was a fuck-up, but it's not a security issue. If the man had bought a legitimate ticket he could've gotten to exactly the same point and be exactly as (non-)threatening.
A "foul-up" concerning a VP (of any nation) would likely be called a security breach. This likely was a minor issue, but still, any security issue involving a Pres or VP of any nation isn't a small matter. Not trying to make too big a thing out of this. But was this guy or anyone supposed to get so close, without special permission? I don't know. News article says 12 steps or 12 feet away. Pretty close for just Joe Anonymous to get to. As for no weapons. Seems people intent on bad things are finding all sorts of places to hide hard to find explosives or weapons.
Quote from: Razgovory on February 18, 2010, 01:52:20 PM
Quote from: Strix on February 17, 2010, 10:03:39 PM
Sadly, I saw Biden on TV today and thought Obama was finally turning him into a black man than I remembered it was Ash Wednesday and that was only ashes on his forehead.
I'm happy to report that you no longer have to avoid black people. They can't turn you black.
Does this mean you're finally leaving the basement?
Quote from: Caliga on February 17, 2010, 07:55:35 PM
Infatuated with Biden!? Definitely mentally ill. :blink:
How could you not be infatuated with him!
http://www.indecisionforever.com/2010/01/12/the-onion-joe-biden-hennessy-biden-criticized-for-appearing-in-hennessy-ads/