2008 Olympics: Massive Protests Disturb Torch Relay in Paris

Picture: Olympia 2008

The Olympic flame reached Paris two days ago. Starting from the city’s major icon, the Eiffel tower, the torch was supposed to follow a 28 kilometre long route and be passed along over 80 hands, in order to fuel the excitement leading to the Olympic games. But there were tumultuous protests from the beginning. Pro-Tibetan protestors chanted loudly against the Chinese Tibetan policy. The police presence was similar to guarding a foreign leader. Thousands of police, armed and carrying plastic shields, swarmed the base of the Eiffel tower. Police patrol boats crossed through the Seine. Helicopters sped overhead the masses. And despite this, the “Torch of Shame”, as it has been called in the media, ran into numerous difficulties.

The vicious reception led the organisers to stop the march and bring the torch into the safety of an accompanying bus. The flame even had to be extinguished multiple times to transport it. With help of a lantern, in which the actual Olympic flame is kept, the prestigious torch and so-called “Symbol of Freedom”, was later relit. The reaction of the French TV authorities was other somewhat somewhat unfortunate. During the live coverage, the camera turned its view to the peacefully standing Eiffel tower as soon as the first protestors ran into the picture. At the city hall of Paris, where the torch rested, the city mayor Bertrand Delanoë unravelled a large banner that said: “Paris defends human rights all over the world.” The mayor, who had already receive the Dalai Lama in 2003, also told the press: “All people in the world have the right of dignity, especially the Tibetan people.”

The International Olympic Committee reacted in dismay to the developments in the French Capital. The IOC demanded in a press release that the “Right of the Torch” to “Peacefully be passed around” be protected. The IOC member Kevin Gosper has announced they were again reconsidering the torch’s route. China defended themselves and claimed indignity over the foreign media coverage, who recently accused the Chinese ambassador in Germany, Ma Canrong, of giving a “forged” report on the recent events in Tibet.

The Olympic torch is arriving in San Francisco via aeroplane today. A banner was hanged from the Golden Gate Bridge for a few hours yesterday on which stood the words: “One World, one Dream, Free Tibet.” The action was initiated by the “Students for a free Tibet” organisation and will likely be the first of many protest actions in the Californian city.