Winter Olympics are waste of money say protesters

Not all Canadians are keen on welcoming the world, amid claims the Winter Olympics are a massive waste of money. Anti-povery and anti-globalisation activists in Vancouver marked the opening of the Games with protests.

“We see expenditure of, like, a billion dollars on security, on a whole bunch of Olympic infrastructure, that we may not use afterwards,” said demonstrator Am Johal. “It is very difficult to see people sleeping out in the street in this wealthy society, so that is what we are trying to highlight.”

The Winter Games have become a rallying point for a range of social groups. Olympic organisers say Vancouver’s poor will benefit through local redevelopment and other spin-off economic opportunities.

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