Chaser (Aussie Comedy team) get through APEC security

dockerland · Sep 7, 2007

This has been all over the news in Australia due to 21 of the worlds leaders converging on Sydney for the APEC meetings. The comedy show Chasers War on Everything said they would try their best to cause at least one stir during the proceedings and could never have believed how they would have succeeded. Here is the story from news.com.au and a copy of the security passes they had

Chaser says it's just lucky it wasn't really Osama

THE Chaser comedy crew's Osama bin Laden security prank at APEC has created international headlines.

In the US, the embarrassing security breach, in which the satirists drove a fake motorcade through security checkpoints to close to President George W Bush's Sydney hotel, got mixed reviews.

Some American TV newsreaders raised their eyebrows while introducing the story, while others had smiles on their faces over the stunt, in which one Chaser member dressed as Osama bin Laden.

"A prank by a TV comedy crew has turned into an international incident and it could end up making a laughing stock of the entire (APEC) security machine," a straight-faced Phillip Palmer, a newsreader on America's ABC TV network, said in his report.

"$160 million was spent to keep dignitaries safe, and a convoy of actors got within yards of President Bush's hotel."

CNN, FOX News, NBC and CBS also carried stories showing footage of the Chaser members being arrested.

In Canada, The Vancouver Sun newspaper saw the funny side, despite the Chaser pranksters posing as Canadian officials.

"Aussie spoofsters fly Maple Leaf to undress APEC security," was the headline in the Sun.

Visitors to the nytimes.com site posted their feelings about the Aussie prankster’s audacity.

"Wow,” Adam Klagsbrun said in a comment on the story. “Not only is this funny, but it also really humiliates national (and international) security.”

“This is exactly what great comedy does - it lets reality shine for itself.”

Another reader, “Capital Cat”, said that US comedians wouldn’t dare risk their lives in such a way.

“I presume the reason no American comedy troupe has tried something similar is that the Secret Service would shoot first and ask questions later,” Capital Cat said.

Chasers surprised

A source inside the show has told The Daily Telegraph 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, many of whom converged on Sydney today for the start of the APEC summit.

Officers involved in the APEC security operation revealed last night that police manning CBD roadblocks are frequently not told whether motorcades coming toward them are legitimate.

"We're amazed at the lack of communication that allowed this to happen but how are they to know whether a motorcade is legitimate when they're not supposed to stop them and nothing is broadcast over the (police) radio," an officer said.

A NSW Police spokesman last night denied a lack of communications led to the security blunder and said adequate communication systems were in place.

Eleven arrested

The convoy of three black cars, decked out to resemble an official Canadian motorcade, came within metres of the hotel where US President George W Bush is staying, before finally being pulled over by authorities.

Eleven people were arrested, including Licciardello, who sat in the back of one of the cars dressed as Osama bin Laden.

All 11, ten men and one woman aged between 25 and 47, were charged with entering a restricted area without justification.

The charge comes under newly legislated APEC laws that restrict anyone from entering declared zones during APEC.

Authorities had warned there would be a presumption against bail for people arrested in the APEC security zone, but all were granted bail to appear in the Downing Centre Local Court on October 4.
Click to expand...

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22377829-2,00.html?from=mostpop

getsmartnow · Sep 7, 2007

Just about to post this too.

This is great. We've been laughing at work all day about this. The Chaser guys are awesome!

Mr. Brightside · Sep 7, 2007

video?

No Worries · Sep 7, 2007

Mr. Brightside said:

video?
Click to expand...

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/...arrying-osama-gets-10-meters-from-bush-hotel/

Two videos. Do the second one first.

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Chaser (Aussie Comedy team) get through APEC security

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