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Australian Comedy Group Prods APEC Security

Posted by kdawson on from the blame-canada dept.

ajdlinux writes "Members of the Australian comedy group The Chaser were arrested today after attempting to breach security at the APEC Leaders Conference in Sydney. Chas Licciardello and Julian Morrow were arrested, along with nine crew members (all are now free on bail), just a short distance away from the InterContinental Hotel where President Bush is staying. They had already cleared at least two police checkpoints, according to CNN, disguised as a Canadian motorcade. 'No particular reason we chose Canada,' said Taylor. 'We just thought they'd be a country who the cops wouldn't scrutinize too closely, and who feasibly would only have three cars in their motorcade — as opposed to the 20 or so gas guzzlers that Bush has brought with him.'" CNN has a photo of Licciardello, dressed as Osama bin Laden, being arrested.

3 of 244 comments (clear)

  1. Have they gone too far this time? by hools1234 · · Score: 5, Informative

    These guys are seriously the funniest thing on Australian TV. They are extremely witty and some of their comedy is so well thought out, you really wonder where they get it from. There is some great footage of this weeks episode on Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxXAr0R43dQ where they try to see how big a weapon they can smuggle in to a jail, including a rocket, a small canon (disguised poorly as a babies pram) and a tank! Some very clever gags about APEC also. Have they gone too far this time though? With times so security conscious, dressing up as Osama and getting that close to the US Presidents quarters, they are lucky they weren't fired upon! Funny though.

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  2. On the topic of the Chaser by smegged · · Score: 5, Informative

    Just an FYI for everyone out there, the Chaser is a show which is broadcast by the ABC, a PUBLICALLY FUNDED channel here in Australia. They constantly poke fun of security, politicians and current affairs shows (among other things). They are a great example of democracy done right.

    For some interesting clips see:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xs3SfNANtig
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnP0snh_1cU
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3grHjibNdA
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BOMOVV2pf0
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vc5xTZGUrRQ
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GViD0Zwc3Bg
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-6F8GN8eXI
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwJ9s1RdGhc&

    Many more are freely available on youtube and other sites. The ABC doesn't mind you distributing them either.

  3. Re:Major embarassment by unfunk · · Score: 5, Informative

    But really though, the news article simply doesn't give you enough information to properly critique Sydney security. For example, why was the motorcade pulled over? Did they simply get lucky or was it proper procedure to check out motorcades once they've cleared the other checkpoints? How close were they to hotel? A 'block adjacent to the InterContinental Hotel' was rather vague. Were they close enough that if it had been a car bomb that people in the hotel would have been at risk? Was there still more security between where they were pulled over and where the diplomats were staying? IE if they had punched the gas would anyone important been at risk?

    The news media is just doing what the news media does, trying to be sensational. I take everything they say with a grain of salt.
    In the end though was security not as strong as it could be? Probably. But is it as bad as the news is making it sound? Probably not. Well, the fact that you're reading a CNN report on it kinda skews the whole thing - check out http://www.abc.net.au/news for a more Aussie view on it. The Lateline (our country's best/most reliable news program) report claimed that the motorcade pulled up - of their own accord - outside Bush's hotel, and that security wasn't alarmed until Chaz stepped out, dressed as Osama bin Laden. The chief of police then went on record as saying that his boys did a good job, and that the arrest of the eleven people involved proved that the $160 million was well spent.

    I'm sorry? Would it have been "well spent" if those cars were laden full of explosives and detonated outside the hotel? I doubt it.

    That said, I love the chaser boys; they know a good prank when they see one, and also know when they're crossing the line... not that it ever stops them.