From the Open-Publishing Calendar
From the Open-Publishing Newswire
Indybay Feature
Relentless anti-Chinese demonstrations in Paris cancel Olympic torch relay
The people are rising up. This is just the beginning.
Paris torch relay canceled
Officials snuff out torch at least five times during leg
Posted: Monday April 7, 2008 11:48AM; Updated: Monday April 7, 2008 6:04PM
PARIS (AP) -- Paris' Olympic torch relay descended into chaos Monday, with protesters scaling the Eiffel Tower, grabbing for the flame and forcing security officials to repeatedly snuff out the torch and transport it by bus past demonstrators yelling "Free Tibet!"
The relentless anti-Chinese demonstrations ignited across the capital with unexpected power and ingenuity, foiling 3,000 police officers deployed on motorcycles, in jogging gear and even inline skates.
Chinese organizers finally gave up on the relay, canceling the last third of what China had hoped would be a joyous jog by torch-bearing VIPs past some of Paris' most famous landmarks.
Thousands of protesters slowed the relay to a stop-start crawl, with impassioned displays of anger over China's human rights record, its grip on Tibet and support for Sudan despite years of bloodshed in Darfur.
Five times, the Chinese officials in dark glasses and tracksuits who guard the torch extinguished it and retreated to the safety of a bus -- the last time emerging only after the vehicle drove within 15 feet of the final stop, a track and field stadium. A torchbearer then ran the final steps inside.
Outside, a few French activists supporting Tibet had a fist-fight with pro-Chinese demonstrators. The French activists spat on them and shouted, "Fascists!"
Officials snuff out torch at least five times during leg
Posted: Monday April 7, 2008 11:48AM; Updated: Monday April 7, 2008 6:04PM
PARIS (AP) -- Paris' Olympic torch relay descended into chaos Monday, with protesters scaling the Eiffel Tower, grabbing for the flame and forcing security officials to repeatedly snuff out the torch and transport it by bus past demonstrators yelling "Free Tibet!"
The relentless anti-Chinese demonstrations ignited across the capital with unexpected power and ingenuity, foiling 3,000 police officers deployed on motorcycles, in jogging gear and even inline skates.
Chinese organizers finally gave up on the relay, canceling the last third of what China had hoped would be a joyous jog by torch-bearing VIPs past some of Paris' most famous landmarks.
Thousands of protesters slowed the relay to a stop-start crawl, with impassioned displays of anger over China's human rights record, its grip on Tibet and support for Sudan despite years of bloodshed in Darfur.
Five times, the Chinese officials in dark glasses and tracksuits who guard the torch extinguished it and retreated to the safety of a bus -- the last time emerging only after the vehicle drove within 15 feet of the final stop, a track and field stadium. A torchbearer then ran the final steps inside.
Outside, a few French activists supporting Tibet had a fist-fight with pro-Chinese demonstrators. The French activists spat on them and shouted, "Fascists!"
For more information:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/more...
We are 100% volunteer and depend on your participation to sustain our efforts!
Get Involved
If you'd like to help with maintaining or developing the website, contact us.
Publish
Publish your stories and upcoming events on Indybay.
Topics
More
Search Indybay's Archives
Advanced Search
►
▼
IMC Network
Paule said she was aware of the protest, calling them "sad." She said the cause of the protests and growing unease over the Chinese response to it must be addressed.
"It's time to call a spade a spade," she said, calling on the IOC to express its concerns to the Chinese before problem become bigger. She told Aftenposten it was pointless to conduct the relay if it would attract trouble.
BTW, where were you human rights advocates yesterday as CISPES protested the long history of US collusion in Salvadoreno death squads &c?
Or are human rights only for people in regimes the US government doesn't like?