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Source: Reuters
A man wearing a fake pass to the Vancouver Olympics Opening
Ceremony was apprehended when he attempted to get close to US Vice
President Joe Biden, police said.
Biden was never in danger, and no charges have been filed against
the unarmed man, whose mental health issues are believed to have
prompted the incident, a spokesman for the Vancouver 2010
Integrated Security Unit said.
"This was an isolated incident committed by an individual with no
malicious intent who was identified and removed by security,"
police sergeant Rich Graydon said in a statement.
Police had noticed the man acting suspiciously outside the stadium
where the ceremony was held.
He went through security screening to get in and officials are
probing how he succeeded using a forged pass.
The screening looks for weapons, but the police and private
security guards carrying it out do not check passes, which would
have already been done at the entrance by workers for the Vancouver
Organising Committee.
Police said they intercepted the man when he attempted to approach
the area where Biden was sitting, and he was apprehended after he
attempted to flee.
He was about 12 rows of seating away from Biden when he was
stopped.
Because the man had no intention of harming the Vice President, and
his actions are believed to have been prompted by mental health
problems police decided against filing any criminal charges,
Graydon said.
US Secret Service Agents guarding Biden told Olympic security they
had no concerns about the incident, Graydon said.
60,000 spectators
Biden was among more than 60,000 spectators who watched the event
inside B.C. Place Stadium.
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper was also in the
audience.
There was heavy security outside the stadium because of a
demonstration by several hundred anti-Olympic protesters who were
blocked from entering the stadium.
This marks the second report of an incident involving Biden's
now-concluded visit to Vancouver, where he was leading the US
Olympic delegation to the Games.
Former US Olympians Peggy Fleming and Vonetta Flowers received
minor injuries on Sunday when three cars at the rear of the
motorcade taking Biden to a US women's ice hockey game collided
with each other.
Biden's vehicle was not involved in the collision, which police
said may have been caused by an oil spill on the road.
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