Ruffled feathers: China gives 10,000 pigeons an ‘intimate’ probe

The 10,000 pigeons released in a ceremony Wednesday for China’s National Day underwent unusual scrutiny. Beijing domestic security police officer Guo Chunwei was quoted in the Jinghua Times as saying workers checked the wings, legs and anus of each pigeon ahead of time to ensure they were “not carrying suspicious material.” The symbols of peace were released at sunrise in Beijing’s symbolic heart of Tiananmen Square in a ceremony for the Oct. 1 holiday to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. The notched-up security measures reflect heightened concern about violence following a string of attacks blamed on separatist militants from the country’s ethnic Uighur Muslim minority, as well as bus explosions and random slashing attacks.

10,000 pigeons go through anal security check for suspicious objects Tue, ready to be released on National Day on Wed.

People’s Daily newspaper on Twitter

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