Sham motorcade passes by APEC security

Cthippo · 6 Sep 2007

Associated Press said:

SYDNEY, Australia - Members of an Australian TV comedy show, one dressed as Osama bin Laden, drove through two security checkpoints Thursday before being stopped near the Sydney hotel where President Bush is staying.

The stunt embarrassed Sydney police who have imposed the tightest security measures in city history for a summit of leaders from Pacific Rim countries, including Bush.

Police arrested 11 cast and crew from the TV program, "The Chaser's War on Everything," and impounded three vehicles, the Australian Broadcasting Corp., which airs the show, said on its Web site.

Cast members put together a sham motorcade, hiring two motorcycles and three large cars on which they put Canadian flags. Police waved the motorcade through two checkpoints before pulling it over near the Intercontinental Hotel where Bush is staying.

Cast member Chas Licciardello got out of the car dressed in a white tunic and cap and wearing a long fake Osama bin Laden-style beard.

"No particular reason we chose Canada," cast member Chris Taylor was quoted as saying on The Sydney Morning Herald's Web site. "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."

Bush is a frequent target of "the Chaser," as are Australian politicians. Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said the stunt proved security was working.

"Whatever you think of the humor of 'the Chaser,' the honest truth is they were clearly not going to harm anybody in a physical way," Downer said. "They presumably were, as is the nature of their show, aiming to humiliate a lot of well-known people."
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Original story

DarkLord7854 · 6 Sep 2007

greywolf · 7 Sep 2007

They were lucky they didn't get shot. The security services were lucky they didn't have 3 car bombs.

Krikkit · 7 Sep 2007

I know this might sound daft, but has it occurred to anyone that 2 checkpoints thought they were blatantly not terrorists when they saw them? Pulling stunts like that, it is a surprise that they didn't get shot by overzealous security agents. Still, darwinism in action tbh.

Malvolio · 7 Sep 2007

Just saw one of those "Coming up on the news tonight..." comercials, and they completely made this incident out like it was a major terrorist attack on the president, and didn't mention anything about the fact that they were TV people, instead trying to make them out to be an organization out to kill/hurt/maim Bush.

Was rather funny!

Constructacon · 7 Sep 2007

Malfoleo said: ↑

......... instead trying to make them out to be an organization out to kill/hurt/maim Bush.

Was rather funny!
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They could have been reporting about anybody.

These guys are great. They'll have this up on their website after it airs next Wednesday for all who want to see the story.

oasked · 7 Sep 2007

Hahaha, this is brilliant. Glad no body got hurt though, I can imagine security being quite trigger-happy.

Constructacon · 7 Sep 2007

The story continues in The Courier Mail

Courier Mail said:

THREE members of ABC TV's The Chaser team have been questioned by police after strapping on cardboard cars complete with Canadian flags and "driving" through central Sydney.

In a send-up of yesterday's prank in which the comedians drove a fake motorcade through security checkpoints, Craig Reucassel, Chris Taylor and Dominic Knight were this afternoon on the streets filming a new segment for their show, The Chaser's War on Everything.

The trio dressed in black cardboard boxes shaped like limousines, complete with Canadian flags on the front and paper plates as wheels.

ABC spokesman Peter Ritchie said the trio were stopped on Bligh Street and had been taken in for questioning by police but quickly released without charge.

"They were filming a stunt and were questioned by police and then released," Mr Ritchie said.

"They were well outside the APEC security zone."

Eleven crew from the comedy show were arrested and charged by police yesterday after driving a fake motorcade of three cars into Sydney's APEC restricted security zone.

The convoy was waved through security checkpoints on Macquarie Street and came within metres of the hotel where US President George W Bush is staying.

NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione said he had been advised American security services were satisfied with the police reaction.
Click the play button below to see The Chaser team arrive at a police station. (Story continues under video panel).

However, he was livid the prank had taken place at all.

"I'm angry, I'm very angry that this stunt happened, it was a very dangerous stunt," Mr Scipione said.

"The reality is ... (they) put security services in a position where they might have had to take an action no-one would want.

"We have snipers deployed around the city. They weren't there for show, they mean business, that's what they were there for."

Police are considering whether to lay further charges.

The 11 people arrested yesterday already have been charged with breaching a secure area under APEC legislation and face a maximum six months in jail. They have been released on bail.

Security was at its maximum level today ahead of tomorrow's APEC leaders' summit.

In a statement last night the Chaser team claimed they had no intention of entering the APEC restricted zone.

"The motorcade proceeded down Macquarie Street with the permission of police.

"When the Chaser reached the perimeter of what they thought was the APEC restricted zone, they voluntarily turned around.

"The police only detained the Chaser motorcade when it was turning around and after Chas Licciardello emerged from a car dressed as Osama bin Laden.

A source inside the show said the team never expected to get so far. The skit had been approved by ABC lawyers but was written in the assumption they would be stopped at the first checkpoint.

Instead they were waved through the first on Macquarie St, then a second, which had sniffer dogs, and eventually stopped themselves at Bridge St.

"As they did Chas got out of a car dressed as Osama bin Laden and said something like 'I'm an important world leader why don't I have a seat at the APEC table?'.

"Apparently that was the first time the police realised it was not authentic and they swooped in and arrested everybody," the source said.

The ABC statement said the Chaser team members were wearing mock "insecurity" passes, which expressly stated they were a joke.

The stunt exposed an embarrassing and potentially dangerous flaw in the $250 million security measures put in place to protect 21 world leaders.
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They went back to where they first got through to film another stunt. You've got to hand it to these guys. They've either got stainless steel balls or no brains.

DarkReaper · 7 Sep 2007

Fantastic. I hate seeing pictures of Sydney at the moment, it's so barricaded that it's embarrassing. And look how much good it did!

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Sham motorcade passes by APEC security

Cthippo Can't mod my way out of a paper bag

DarkLord7854 What's a Dremel?

greywolf What's a Dremel?

Krikkit All glory to the hypnotoad! Super Moderator

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Sham motorcade passes by APEC security

Cthippo Can't mod my way out of a paper bag

DarkLord7854 What's a Dremel?

greywolf What's a Dremel?

Krikkit All glory to the hypnotoad! Super Moderator

Malvolio .

Constructacon Constructing since 1978

oasked Stuck in (better) mud

Constructacon Constructing since 1978

DarkReaper Alignment: Sarcastic Good

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