The insurance industry is notorious for erring on the side of caution – but Chinese security may have taken caution to a whole new level this week during National Day ceremonies.
According to the Associated Press, 10,000 doves (pigeons) released in a ceremony on Wednesday for China’s National Day came under unusual scrutiny, as each bird had its feathers and anus checked for dangerous materials.
The up-close-and-personal avian checks were viewed as a reflection of government jitters over possible attacks, according to China’s state-run media.
The doves (pigeons) – which are recognized as symbols of peace – were released at sunrise in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square in a ceremony for the Oct. 1 holiday to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.
Beijing domestic security police officer Guo Chunwei was quoted in the Jinghua Times as saying workers checked the wings, legs and anus of each pigeon ahead of time to ensure they were “not carrying suspicious material.”
The entire process was videotaped, and the birds were then loaded into sealed vehicles for the trip to Tiananmen Square, the newspaper said.
Chinese readers shared many derisive online comments on several news sites, which were later deleted. However, the Jinghua Times report and the People’s Daily tweet were still visible as of midday Wednesday.
Members of the Chinese public responded with sarcasm because they see in the pigeon body searches their own plight in what they consider an oppressive society with tight surveillance, censorship and judicial injustice, independent columnist Zhang Ping said in an editorial that was circulated on social media under his pen name, Changping.
“The liberty and dignity of citizens are increasingly vulnerable, and can be expropriated at any time, like with the pigeons,” wrote Zhang. “They have to go through the pains and insults of the rude anal check and yet they must appear peaceful and happy on the screen of the state broadcaster.”
