Nikki Yanofskyv had just finished singing O Canada at the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics when a man believed to be mentally unstable with crude, fake credentials approached within 12 rows of U.S. Vice-President Joe Biden.
Two plainclothes Mounties stopped the 48-year-old just as he stepped into the high-security area reserved for dignitaries at B.C. Place. The officers had spotted him earlier, coming down the stairs as people were rushing to their seats for the opening ceremonies. He did not seem to fit in with the crowd of well-heeled ticket holders.
They approached him and immediately realized that he did not have proper accreditation. His pass looked like something printed off the Internet that was laminated. He did not have a ticket for the show. The Mounties escorted him to the hallway. He was taken into custody when he tried to run away.
The man, who told police he was infatuated with Mr. Biden, was unarmed and never posed any risk to the U.S. Vice-President at any time, RCMP Assistant Commissioner Bud Mercer told CTV yesterday. The man did not make threats or behave violently.
"His sole purpose was to get near the U.S. Vice-President," Mr. Mercer said. "He had no intent to injure anyone."
As the Olympic athletes were parading into the stadium, the man was turned over to Vancouver police who arrested him for breach of the peace. U.S. Secret Service officers who accompanied Mr. Biden were not involved in the incident and Mr. Biden was probably unaware that something had occurred, police said.
Five days after the security breach, officials from the Vancouver Organizing Committee and from the police were scrambling to explain how a person believed to be mentally unstable managed to slip through VANOC's screening procedures and challenge the Olympics' $900-million security net.
Officials from the integrated security forces said they were responsible for checking bags and monitoring for security threats as ticket holders go through the metal detectors. It was up to VANOC to screen concert-goers for their credentials and tickets, police said, adding that their $900-million security budget did not include the cost of VANOC screening people.
However VANOC insisted everything had worked well.
Adam Gray, vice-president of security integration for VANOC, said last night in a prepared statement the security system at B.C. Place during the opening ceremonies had "worked effectively."
He did not say how the man with fake credentials managed to enter B.C. Place. However he confirmed that officers screened the man for prohibited items, such as weapons, and none were found. The security authorities forces subsequently ensured that the man was stopped, he said.
Despite refusing to acknowledge any mistakes, Mr. Gray said that changes were made to ensure that another breach of security does not happen. "We're confident that the venue security system ensures a safe and secure environment for all," Mr. Gray said.
Earlier, Mr. Gray told CTV that credentials at the Olympic venue would be checked by two or three people. Some would be paid staff responsible for screening ticket holders to ensure they have the appropriate credentials and tickets. Some may have been volunteers, he also said.
"They are well trained, and well supervised, and at the end of the day, this individual was apprehended," Mr. Gray said. "All our systems worked."
In Washington, Secret Service spokesman Max Milien said ``we do not know at this time if the individual had interest in the vice president,'' adding that he was ``not in close proximity'' to Mr. Biden.
Mr. Milien said the Secret Service, which provides the close security screen to the president and other key political figures, both at home and abroad, was expecting to hear further details of the incident from the Mounties.
Assistant Commissioner Mercer said the Secret Service was impressed with the work of the two RCMP officers who were members of the integrated security unit's protective policing section. "They said, job well done, remind me not to mess with you," he said.
Vancouver police released the man from custody later that evening but he was required to go for a mental health assessment. Neither the RCMP nor Vancouver police would release his name.
With a report from Paul Koring in Washington
Read more -http://www.ctvolympics.ca/news-centre/newsid=45148.html?cid=rss
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