In a nondescript laneway off Botany Road, Waterloo, near the very good Asian greengrocer, linger reminders of Sydney’s pre 2000 Olympic Games housekeeping.
Sydney‘s homeless to be removed for Olympics
In addition, the government is planning to bus homeless people up to 200 kilometres from Sydney to Wollongong, Newcastle and the Blue Mountains, and house them in disused hospitals, government buildings and caravan parks, in an attempt to triple the amount of emergency housing during the Olympics.
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2000/feb2000/olymp-f03.shtml
Googling “homelessness” and “London Olympics” yielded several stories.
Homeless being ‘swept away’ in London
He said: “In [the football World Cup in] South Africa in 2002, they planted trees in front of the shanty towns so you couldn’t see the people from the stadiums. In Barcelona, all the homeless people were swept out. In Greece they were moved to the other side of the country. London will do the same. They’ll be swept away so far that by the time they get back the Olympics will be over.”
http://hollowayexpress.co.uk/homeless-being-swept-away-in-london-ed-by-jane-checked-by-max/
REPORTS OF ROUGH SLEEPERS BEING “MOVED ON”
We have been contacted several times about reports that, in some areas of London, rough sleepers are being encouraged to “move on” in preparation for the Olympics.
We would be highly concerned if this was taking place but, as far we know, the only activities underway are part of the long-term strategy to end rough sleeping in London. In other words services are working to get new and long-term rough sleepers off the streets and into accommodation but this should be happening whether or not the Olympics were taking place.
http://homeless.org.uk/news/100-days-go-rough-sleeping-and-olympics
Homeless performers take over Royal Opera House
The event, With One Voice, is part of the London 2012 festival – the first time that homeless people have been given a platform at an Olympic Games. Instead of being, in Peacock’s words, “overlooked, made unwelcome, or, worst-case scenario, moved on”.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/jul/02/homeless-performers-royal-opera-house?newsfeed=true
Perhaps the With One Voice performers could sing Abba’s Waterloo…
“Waterloo”
My, my, at Waterloo Napoleon did surrender
Oh yeah, and I have met my destiny in quite a similar way
The history book on the shelf
Is always repeating itself
Waterloo – I was defeated, you won the war
Waterloo – Promise to love you for ever more
Waterloo – Couldn’t escape if I wanted to
Waterloo – Knowing my fate is to be with you
Waterloo – Finally facing my Waterloo
My, my, I tried to hold you back but you were stronger
Oh yeah, and now it seems my only chance is giving up the fight
And how could I ever refuse
I feel like I win when I lose
Waterloo – I was defeated, you won the war
Waterloo – Promise to love you for ever more
Waterloo – Couldn’t escape if I wanted to
Waterloo – Knowing my fate is to be with you
Waterloo – Finally facing my Waterloo
So how could I ever refuse
I feel like I win when I lose –
Waterloo – Couldn’t escape if I wanted to
Waterloo – Knowing my fate is to be with you
Waterloo – Finally facing my Waterloo
daleleelife101.blog 
I was just about to write oh, they’re doing the same thing in London – and you beat me to it. Doesn’t really matter whether you are a homeless or poor person cluttering up the streets in London or Sydney for the Olympics, or a stray dog in Croatia at the time of a football championship (European ones I think, not my forte) – you need to be rounded up and discretely removed from sight.
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I was aware of it pre Sydney Olympics & at the time thought it was absolute BS. I was intrigued to find the paste ups still in the laneway. Sifting through photos, I’d filed them under “Waterloo” which started me humming… Before I Googled I had an inkling the story would be the same in London, and the other Olympic cities.
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