Protests outside stadium cast shadow over opening ceremony
Crowds similar to what is typically seen outside major political summits gathered near the venue as the opening ceremony began. While the crowds aren’t massive, they are vocal.
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The chants, police whistles and loudspeakers could even be heard inside the stadium.
![](https://s.abcnews.com/images/International/protest-opening-01-as-ss-210723_1627044106021_hpMain.jpg)
The mood inside the nearly empty venue was described as solemn by ABC News reporters in attendance and a bit like a dress rehearsal due to the absence of spectators.
As the athletes marched in, however, they were said to be in good spirits despite not being greeted by live applause.
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The Olympics host city of Tokyo is currently under a state of emergency order as new COVID-19 cases have spiked in the lead-up to the Games. Many locals have expressed fears that the games will spark a surge in cases, and polls show a majority of the Japanese public were against hosting the Games this year.
The government and organizers, however, doggedly forged ahead.
On the eve of the opening ceremony, Tokyo health officials reported a nearly six-month high in new COVID-19 cases. Some 1,979 new cases were reported, the highest single-day figure since January.
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