Beijing police launched a campaign on Wednesday to eradicate
illegal activities in the Tian’anmen Square and along the Chang'an
Avenue in the city's run-up to the Olympic Games.
Beggars, unlicensed peddlers, flyer distributors and illegal
motorcycle and tricycle taxi riders will be fined or detained or
have their equipment confiscated once detected by police in the
square or along the east-west artery.
Police from the six urban districts of Dongcheng, Xicheng,
Chongwen, Xuanwu, Chaoyang and Haidian will jointly patrol in the
areas round the clock beginning Wednesday, Yu Hongyuan, deputy
director with the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau, said at
the launching ceremony of the move.
The campaign is aimed at uprooting illegal activities that
tarnish the city's image and affect the social order and to build
up a "harmonious, civilized and sound" urban environment for the
Olympic Games to be held here in August, said Yu.
(Xinhua News Agency January 3, 2008)