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Protesters Scuffle With Police During Olympic Torch Relay in London

Posted on: Sunday, 6 April 2008, 12:00 CDT

By Bryan Mitchell, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

LONDON - British police say they have made 25 arrests in London, where authorities have been scuffling with protesters as the Olympic torch is carried through the snowy city.

Police at one point were forced to stop the procession after one man tried to grab the torch out of the hands of a television presenter.

Another demonstrator tried to snuff out the flame with what appeared to be a fire extinguisher. Others in the crowd threw themselves at torchbearers running past.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown briefly greeted the torch when it arrived outside his Downing Street residence as pro-Tibet demonstrators and police clashed metres away near the Parliament buildings.

Activists demonstrating China's human rights record and a recent crackdown on Tibet have been protesting along the torch route since the start of the flame's almost 137,000-kilometre odyssey from Ancient Olympia in Greece to Beijing, host of the 2008 Summer Olympics.

The torch's global tour is the longest in Olympic history and is meant to highlight China's growing economic and political power. But it has also offered protest groups abundant opportunity to draw attention to their concerns.

Demonstrators swelled in number near to the spot where Chinese Ambassador Fu Ying had been expected to carry the Olympic torch, forcing a last-minute change of plan. Fu emerged with the flame in the heart of London's Chinatown instead, and managed to jog unhindered before handing the torch over to the next participant in the relay.

In London's historic Bloomsbury area, police separated anti-China protesters from hundreds of flag-waving Chinese who turned out to support their nation and the Olympics.

"As an English person, I have a right to stand where I want to on the street," pro-Tibet demonstrator Roger Moulland, 54, from Brighton, said as he was moved away by police.

Hundreds of protesters along the route chanted slogans including "Free Tibet!""Stop killing in Tibet!" and "China, talk to Dalai Lama."

"There was definitely a bit of an edge," British tennis player Tim Henman, one of the torchbearers, told The Associated Press.

But police Cmdr. Jo Kaye called the incidents minor. "It's going to be a long day but the torch is progressing on schedule," Kaye told British Broadcasting Corp. television.

Brown allowed the flame to arrive outside his Downing Street office but never handled the torch. Instead, he watched as Olympic gold medalist Denise Lewis handed it to Paralympic hopeful Ali Jawad.

"People are traveling from across the country and Europe as well to participate," said spokesman Terry Bettger of the Free Tibet Campaign.

London's Metropolitan Police said it was aware of six organizations, including the Free Tibet campaign, the spiritual group Falun Gong and a group calling for democracy in Myanmar, planning to protest. The force deployed 2,000 officers along the route.

The 80 torchbearers include Olympic champion runner Kelly Holmes and violinist Vanessa Mae.

Several dropped out to protest China's human rights record. Richard Vaughan, Britain's top badminton player, said he would not participate because China was not doing enough to stop violence in the Sudanese region of Darfur.

Before the relay, British Chinese residents said they hoped for a peaceful relay.

"The Olympic games are very important for all Chinese. In Chinatown, everyone is very anxious to see the torch pass," said London Chinese Community Center spokeswoman Annie Wu. "We hope it goes smoothly."

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

Source: Canadian Press

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