Times’ nocturnal stunt at stadium backfires
Two British journalists who set out to expose Olympic security lapses by sneaking into a major Athens venue on Wednesday night ended up at a local police station. Reporter Laura Peek and photographer Paul Rogers, who work for The Times, were arrested shortly before midnight inside the main Olympic stadium at Kalogreza, after being twice warned off by guards. They were taken to the nearest police station and, after having their identities checked, were released at around 2 a.m., without being charged. Greek officials, smarting under a series of Times articles criticizing Olympic security, could barely hide their glee. «This kind of nocturnal behavior is a bit odd,» Public Order Minister Giorgos Voulgarakis said. «This is not a game.» The Athens 2004 organizing committee said full-blown security measures would only come into effect in July, once construction work is finished.
