Protests disrupt Olympic flame relay in Paris

The Beijing Olympic flame had to be confined to the safety of a bus on Friday as hundreds of pro-Tibet activists disrupted its progress through Paris despite a heavy police escort.

French police scuffled with campaigners protesting China‘s crackdown in Tibet and at least four people were arrested as they attempted to block the torch’s planned relay route through the city.

The flame began its journey from the Eiffel Tower, with former French athlete Stephane Diagana leading off the proposed relay of 80 runners chosen to carry it through the Paris streets.

The torch was protected by a phalanx of motorcycle police, jogging firemen, police on roller blades and dozens of riot police vehicles.

But it had barely progressed more than 200 meters (yards) before it was put aboard a bus to prevent any attempt to extinguish the flame.

More:

English:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080407/wl_sthasia_afp/chinaunresttibetrightsfranceoly2008

Japanese:

http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20080408-00000004-mai-int

French:

http://fr.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20080407/tts-jo-france-flamme-ca02f96.html

German:

http://de.news.yahoo.com/afp/20080407/tts-frankreich-china-tibet-olympia-mensc-c1b2fc3.html

“Paris defends human rights everywhere in the world”

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