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| Russian protesters fall silent while Olympic roadshow occupies Sochi | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| In a small park in Khosta, around 10 miles from the Olympic Village and the shiny new competition venues, a space has been set aside for anyone who wants to protest during these Games. | In a small park in Khosta, around 10 miles from the Olympic Village and the shiny new competition venues, a space has been set aside for anyone who wants to protest during these Games. |
| The silence is deafening. On Russia's anti-gay law, on corruption, and on environmental violations in the runup to the Games, there has not been a single protest. | The silence is deafening. On Russia's anti-gay law, on corruption, and on environmental violations in the runup to the Games, there has not been a single protest. |
| As the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and its national associations have made it clear to competitors that they should not use the Games as a place to make "political points", the Russian authorities have used a combination of carrot and stick to ensure that homegrown critics also stay quiet. | As the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and its national associations have made it clear to competitors that they should not use the Games as a place to make "political points", the Russian authorities have used a combination of carrot and stick to ensure that homegrown critics also stay quiet. |
| The most likely to stage a protest in the special zone were a hardy group of green activists, who for several years have suffered police pressure, threats and home searches as they attempted to bring environmental violations and injustices committed against Sochi residents during the Olympic construction spree to light. One of them, Evgeny Vitishko, was jailed for three years last Wednesday. | The most likely to stage a protest in the special zone were a hardy group of green activists, who for several years have suffered police pressure, threats and home searches as they attempted to bring environmental violations and injustices committed against Sochi residents during the Olympic construction spree to light. One of them, Evgeny Vitishko, was jailed for three years last Wednesday. |
| Vladimir Kimayev, Vitishko's friend and another member of the same group, the Environmental Watch on the North Caucasus, had planned a protest for Sunday to bring attention to the case and other violations in Sochi. There would only be a few dozen people there, but with the world's media in town for the Olympics, it would be bound to gain attention. | Vladimir Kimayev, Vitishko's friend and another member of the same group, the Environmental Watch on the North Caucasus, had planned a protest for Sunday to bring attention to the case and other violations in Sochi. There would only be a few dozen people there, but with the world's media in town for the Olympics, it would be bound to gain attention. |
| Then a strange thing happened. The day after the opening ceremony, his phone rang. It was the mayor of Sochi, who implored him to cancel the protest. | Then a strange thing happened. The day after the opening ceremony, his phone rang. It was the mayor of Sochi, who implored him to cancel the protest. |
| "It was the first time in seven years of our battle that he has ever called. He said that this has been discussed on the highest level and they were willing to listen to all our demands." | "It was the first time in seven years of our battle that he has ever called. He said that this has been discussed on the highest level and they were willing to listen to all our demands." |
| At a large round-table meeting in Sochi on Friday, top local officials and Russia's deputy environment minister listened to a list of grievances, and in some cases action is already being taken to improve the lives of people who saw their homes ruined during Olympic preparations. | At a large round-table meeting in Sochi on Friday, top local officials and Russia's deputy environment minister listened to a list of grievances, and in some cases action is already being taken to improve the lives of people who saw their homes ruined during Olympic preparations. |
| "Some things it is too late to change, but on the things they can do, they have suddenly become really amenable," says Kimayev. "It's clear there was an order from Moscow not to let any protests get in the way of the Olympics." | "Some things it is too late to change, but on the things they can do, they have suddenly become really amenable," says Kimayev. "It's clear there was an order from Moscow not to let any protests get in the way of the Olympics." |
| Whether or not the goodwill continues after the Olympic show leaves town remains to be seen. | Whether or not the goodwill continues after the Olympic show leaves town remains to be seen. |
| One case which the round table could not resolve is that of Vitishko, whose "crime" was to paint a slogan on a fence guarding a house that the activists say was built by the local governor illegally on national park land. | One case which the round table could not resolve is that of Vitishko, whose "crime" was to paint a slogan on a fence guarding a house that the activists say was built by the local governor illegally on national park land. |
| His court hearings have been perfunctory, and authorities appear to have used any excuse possible to keep him locked up during the Olympics, including invoking a little-used law that makes it illegal to swear in public. Last week he was accused of parole violations, and the three-year suspended sentence he received for the fence-painting became a real jail term. | His court hearings have been perfunctory, and authorities appear to have used any excuse possible to keep him locked up during the Olympics, including invoking a little-used law that makes it illegal to swear in public. Last week he was accused of parole violations, and the three-year suspended sentence he received for the fence-painting became a real jail term. |
| Asked about the case on Sunday, an IOC spokesman, Mark Adams, again stated that Vitishko was guilty of vandalising a house and said the IOC had received assurances from Russian authorities. "We still understand and we received clarification from Sochi that this is, and we think it remains, a non-Olympic case," he said. | Asked about the case on Sunday, an IOC spokesman, Mark Adams, again stated that Vitishko was guilty of vandalising a house and said the IOC had received assurances from Russian authorities. "We still understand and we received clarification from Sochi that this is, and we think it remains, a non-Olympic case," he said. |
| In an angry response to the IOC, the environmental activists released a statement saying that "everything that has happened … prior and during the Olympic Games has to do with the Olympic Games." | In an angry response to the IOC, the environmental activists released a statement saying that "everything that has happened … prior and during the Olympic Games has to do with the Olympic Games." |
| The statement says the group's activists have been "harassed, questioned, detained, and spent days in dingy cells" because of the Games, and had their office and property attacked. "We would have assured you of this if you asked us or requested information, but you didn't," said the group. | The statement says the group's activists have been "harassed, questioned, detained, and spent days in dingy cells" because of the Games, and had their office and property attacked. "We would have assured you of this if you asked us or requested information, but you didn't," said the group. |
| Nevertheless, the activists have come to the decision that staging a protest could be dangerous, and instead hope to rely on international pressure to free Vitishko. | Nevertheless, the activists have come to the decision that staging a protest could be dangerous, and instead hope to rely on international pressure to free Vitishko. |
| The Norwegian prime minister, Erna Solberg, met Kimayev and other environmentalists on Friday to discuss Vitishko's case, and raised it when she met her Russian counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev. | The Norwegian prime minister, Erna Solberg, met Kimayev and other environmentalists on Friday to discuss Vitishko's case, and raised it when she met her Russian counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev. |
| "We realise that these things are being decided on a high level," said Kimayev. "Hopefully having it raised in those meetings will help us more than standing in the park and protesting. They have made it very clear that they don't want any public protest at all." | "We realise that these things are being decided on a high level," said Kimayev. "Hopefully having it raised in those meetings will help us more than standing in the park and protesting. They have made it very clear that they don't want any public protest at all." |
| The podiums have also been protest free, as the focus remains firmly on sport despite an attempt by gay rights groups to sign athletes up to condemn Russia's law against 'homosexual propaganda'. | The podiums have also been protest free, as the focus remains firmly on sport despite an attempt by gay rights groups to sign athletes up to condemn Russia's law against 'homosexual propaganda'. |
| The law, much discussed in the runup to the Games, has not been raised even in a roundabout way by athletes. When the openly gay Dutch speed skater Ireen Wüst won a medal early on in the Games, she made no protest and even admitted to having a "cuddle" with Vladimir Putin. | The law, much discussed in the runup to the Games, has not been raised even in a roundabout way by athletes. When the openly gay Dutch speed skater Ireen Wüst won a medal early on in the Games, she made no protest and even admitted to having a "cuddle" with Vladimir Putin. |
| The Australian snowboarder Belle Brockhoff, who had previously said she planned to speak out strongly against the law, was decidedly circumspect on Sunday after she finished her event, saying she did not think the Games were the right place to vent her frustration. She said she had received hate mail on Twitter for her opposition to the law but also hinted she might have rethought her stance. | The Australian snowboarder Belle Brockhoff, who had previously said she planned to speak out strongly against the law, was decidedly circumspect on Sunday after she finished her event, saying she did not think the Games were the right place to vent her frustration. She said she had received hate mail on Twitter for her opposition to the law but also hinted she might have rethought her stance. |
| "I've had hate tweets. But it's good getting different sides of the story, and trying to open your eyes a lot more before you say anything," she said. | "I've had hate tweets. But it's good getting different sides of the story, and trying to open your eyes a lot more before you say anything," she said. |
| Austrian Daniela Iraschko-Stolz, who married her partner Isabel Stolz last year, refused to be drawn on the anti-gay law after she won a silver medal in ski jumping last week. | Austrian Daniela Iraschko-Stolz, who married her partner Isabel Stolz last year, refused to be drawn on the anti-gay law after she won a silver medal in ski jumping last week. |
| "I know Russia will go and make the right steps in the future and we should give them time," she said. | "I know Russia will go and make the right steps in the future and we should give them time," she said. |