The_Heretic

Title
Torch extinguished twice amid Paris protests

Link
Torch extinguished twice amid Paris protests - Other sports- nbcsports.msnbc.com
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Excerpt



PARIS - The Olympic torch was extinguished and put on a bus for protection at least twice Monday as it moved through Paris amid heavy protests, including at least one attempt to rush a torch-bearer.

A man identified as a Green Party activist was grabbed by security officers as he headed for 1997 400-meter world champion Stephane Diagana, who was carrying the torch at the beginning of its relay from the first floor of the Eiffel Tower. The man was tackled before he got close to Diagana.

Later in the relay, police threw other protesters to the ground and carried some away. The torch was snuffed out and placed on a bus.

It was extinguished and put on a bus again less than an hour later as protesters booed and began chanting “Tibet!” although none appeared to rush the torch.

The relay resumed but protesters were planning more demonstrations along Monday’s route.

Cops scuffle with protesters
On Sunday London police repeatedly scuffled with protesters decrying China’s human rights record and a recent crackdown on Tibetans. One tried to grab the torch, while another tried to snuff out the flame with what appeared to be a fire extinguisher. Thirty-seven people were arrested.

The flame’s round-the-world trip is the longest in Olympic history, and it is meant to shine a spotlight on China’s economic and political power. But activists have used to publicize anger at Beijing’s policies at home and abroad.

There have been protests since the flame embarked on a 85,000-mile journey from Ancient Olympia in Greece to Beijing for the Aug. 8-24 Olympic Games.

The torch relay is expected to face demonstrations in San Francisco, New Delhi and possibly elsewhere on its 21-stop, six-continent tour before arriving in mainland China on May 4.

Paris police conceived an elaborate security plan to keep the torch in a safe “bubble.”

French torchbearers were to be encircled by several hundred officers, some in riot police vehicles and on motorcycles, others on skates and on foot. Three boats were also to patrol the Seine River, and a helicopter was to fly over Paris, police said.

80 athletes to carry torch
About 80 athletes planned to carry the torch over a 17-mile route that starts at the Eiffel Tower, heads down the Champs-Elysees avenue toward City Hall, then crosses over the Seine before ending at the Charlety track and field stadium.

In Beijing Monday, International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge said he was “very concerned” about unrest in Tibet, his strongest comments to date on the political storm surrounding the Games.

“The International Olympic Committee has expressed its serious concern and calls for a rapid peaceful resolution in Tibet,” Rogge said. He added that violent protests, “for whatever reason,” are “not compatible with the values of the torch relay or the Olympic Games.”

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Comment:

Take THAT communist oppressive bitches!!

FREE TIBET! [insert upraised fish smilie here]

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Kanadesaga

man, those French are so sophisticated!

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neptune

Does anybody else here think the whole ritual of the "torch relay" is arcane and idiotic?

I mean, who the hell really cares?

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It's....disappeared!
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babylonDon

I think of it as P.R. for a really dull sporting event.

Saying that, I still think it's wrong for politicians or the politically motivated to make decisions that may prevent the athletes from participating in any or all of the hooplah surrounding the Olympics.

You train your entire life for the opportunity to compete during the small window of opportunity athletics allows, you should be allowed to do so without outsiders interfering.

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"America, the greatest, best country that God has ever given man, on the face of the Earth"- Sean Hannity, professional broadcast journalist.

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cheapseats

Not me, in a way.

It has never been particularly significant to me that a perpetual flame burns in front of JFK's grave, but it would be consequential if, say, neo-Nazis doused it.

The ritual that seems arcane and idiotic to me is laying down arms in order to gather to compete in sports.

Fifty yard dash, you say? I'm fast...lemme just set this rocket launcher down. How 'bout over here, would it be in the way on the grassy center of the track? I won't be a moment.

What IS significant is that the goodest goodwill portion of the games is derailed by angry protests-read-that-civil-unrest.

What is also interesting that, for all that we lambaste those spiky French, it was they who served Donald Rumsfeld with war crimes papers and they who now rain on the Olympic parade.

I understand that the torch ceremony was interrupted in London, as well.

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guest1234567

This really pisses me off, a lot.

These idiots who think that attacking someone with a burning stick is going to make the Chinese any different have completely missed the point and are ignoring the very meaning of what the Olympics are supposed to mean.

julia

Those who criticize the French, are simply grossily misinformed.
Ok, they did send help for Bush'w war in Iraq, but that is because they have had their own share of fighting insurgents at the end of their empire last century in North African countries. Millions of frenchmen including president Jacques Chirac, fought over in Africa through reqired miltary service. The French lost all of those battles as well as the Algerian war. The French population knows a hell lot more about war than the American public.
And, those anti-French talking heads conveniently do not mention that France has always been the country with the most amount of troops in Afghanistan helping the US.

To slam the French is to trully reveal one's very ignorant pov.

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DRS112

Fucking French...I wonder...if they're the only "free" country that is hated more than us...

DRS112

So...you can mention the french who fought in Africa...but not the Vichy who not only allowed the Germans to take over France, but also helped the Germans with the Holocaust?.....

Edit:...I thought you were talking about French who fought in WWII in Africa....

Them fighting in Algiers is a virtue? Them fighting to continue colonization of another country is a virtue??

julia

The French get slammed by Bill Oreilly et al for not fighting in Iraq.

My point was is that there are 1000s of French people alive, including the previous president, who fought in a war as an occupier against insurgents/ guerilla warfare in Nothern Africa. Which lead them NOT to take part in another difficult occupation.

Why should the French be slammed for wasting their ppl and treasure for an occupation that has a low chance of success.

I am positng about their warfare EXPERIENCE and in no way shape of form agreeing with policy of nazi collaborators or any Colonialism.

Americans occupied and colonized the Philappines so not many here can flatly condemn colonialism since it is a part of American history, too.

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