The Olympic Torch

[Grumpmeister]

Quick question, isnt the torch supposed to be kept alight the entire journey for some symbolic reason?

Looks like the French did a decent job of protesting againt China, unlike over here when the torch was heading through London.

Having said that after the interview with Konnie Huq saying she wore nothing under her tracksuit my mind wasnt really on the coverage for the rest of the day 

PARIS (Reuters) - Security officials extinguished the Olympic torch at least twice on Monday during a chaotic relay through Paris where thousands of pro-Tibet protesters tried to block its path.

The torch's progress through Paris was regularly delayed by demonstrators protesting against China's crackdown on Tibet after it set off from the Eiffel Tower. At one point it had to be put on a bus to protect it from the crowds.

The torch then had to be extinguished because of a technical problem, a police spokesman said. A Chinese official was quoted by Xinhua news agency as saying it was put out for safety reasons.

After a brief interruption the relay resumed with the torch alight, only for it to be extinguished shortly afterwards despite the fact that protesters appeared to be well away from the relay team, which was flanked by police on rollerblades.

"Boycott Chinese goods" and "Save Tibet" read some of the banners held by demonstrators.

"We are doing our best but it will take the world to put pressure on China to help bring democracy and human rights to Tibet," said Phurbu Dolker, a 21-year-old Tibetan refugee.

The scenes were reminiscent of the protests that hit the torch's passage through London on Sunday, with the build up to the Beijing Olympics rapidly becoming a public relations disaster for the Chinese organisers.

Three hours after setting out on its 28-km (17 miles) trip through Paris, the protesters tactics meant the relay had accumulated a delay estimated at roughly two hours.

"FIASCO"

"Security Fiasco," France 24 television said in a banner headline running on the bottom of its screen.

At least 23 people were briefly detained by police for trying to disturb the relay, a spokesman for the Free Tibet movement said.

Militants from rights group Reporters Without Borders chained themselves to the Eiffel Tower and deployed a black flag with handcuffs replacing the Olympic rings.

A member of the French Greens party had earlier been restrained by police when trying to grab the torch from the first of 80 torch bearers, former world 400 metres hurdles champion Stephane Diagana.

Escorted by security, Diagana was wearing a badge reading "For a better world".

France has deployed more than 3,000 police officers for the zigzagging journey to the southern edge of Paris, where the torch was initially due to arrive at 1500 GMT.

Thousands of protesters waving Tibetan flags and shouting "Shame on China" tried to disrupt the torch's run through London on Sunday, the British leg of the international relay billed by Beijing as the "harmonious journey".

French human rights minister, Rama Yade, denied on Saturday that President Nicolas Sarkozy would boycott the Games' opening ceremony unless China started talks with the Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, and released political prisoners.

The Olympic flame is expected to remain a magnet for anti-Chinese protests ahead of the August Games in Beijing.

The flame is due to return to Beijing on August 6, two days before it will be used to light the cauldron at the Olympic opening ceremony.

[Nick]

Well I heard it arrived at Heathrow. So did someone sit with it aloft and flaming throughout the flight? Eh?

No,they gave Steve Redgrave a fag lighter!

[Snoopy]

Well I heard it arrived at Heathrow. So did someone sit with it aloft and flaming throughout the flight? Eh?

No,they gave Steve Redgrave a fag lighter!

One of many confiscated over the past 12 months I assume.

[Darwins Selection]

"Right then which of you lot let it go out?
Captain, can you take us back to Athens please." 

[Uncle Mort]

All these protesters but I would bet that every last one of them has something in their homes with 'made in China' on it.

[Nick]

All these protesters but I would bet that every last one of them has something in their homes with 'made in China' on it.

 

[Berek]

All these protesters but I would bet that every last one of them has something in their homes with 'made in China' on it.

I said that to Mrs C on Sunday

[Nick]

Mrs C?

[Berek]

 

[Bar Wench]

All these protesters but I would bet that every last one of them has something in their homes with 'made in China' on it.

Which is exactly why I have found it difficult to take a position on the issue. It is horribly hypocritical.

[Nick]

All these protesters but I would bet that every last one of them has something in their homes with 'made in China' on it.

Which is exactly why I have found it difficult to take a position on the issue. It is horribly hypocritical.

Problem is that almost everything is these days.

[Bar Wench]

Which is why I don't really publically protest anything. I find it difficult to throw myself wholeheartedly into something if I can't be sure that I am absolutely beyond reproach on it.

[Nick]

I find it difficult to throw myself wholeheartedly into something if I can't be sure that I am absolutely beyond reproach on it

 

[Darwins Selection]

I see that the attempted grab of the torch from the Blue Peter girl has made it onto Shanghai TV.

They have it on "You've Been Flamed" with Hally Hill. 



I know, it should have been Hally Hirr, but it just looked wrong

[Uncle Mort]

The company I work for has offices in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing. We're making pots of money from world trade with China. It would be hypocritical of me to complain even if I considered Olympic protests to be in the right.

It's not as if this Tibetan business is recent. I remeber meeting refugees from there when I was in India back in 1990.

Olympic protests and boycotts are just an easy way to show disapproval. Trade tariffs and embargoes would show the Chinese that we're serious but it isn't going to happen.