Protests in Paris, San Francisco overshadow Olympic torch

Protests from Paris to San Francisco continue to overshadow the traditional world relay of the Olympic torch.

Three Demonstrators scaled the Golden Gate Bridge unfurling two banners as a tourist bus passes underneath in San Francisco, California, USA, 07 April 2008. The three climbers are members of Students for a Free Tibet and their action comes just two days before the Olympic torch is to make its San Francisco stop -- the only stop in North America -- en route to Beijing, where the Summer Olympics will be held in August. The banner read: "One World, One Dream, Free Tibet 08," EPA/MONICA M. DAVEYPresidential candidate Hillary Clinton, a US senator and former first lady, became the most prominent US politician to call for President George W Bush to boycott the opening ceremonies of the Beijing Games in August, citing China's crackdown in Tibet and other human-rights abuses. Eighteen people were arrested in mass protests in Paris, where French officials were forced to extinguish the torch, cut short the public relay and transport the torch inside a bus for part of the journey through France, instead of letting an athlete carry the flame in the traditional fashion. Police said that the torch was extinguished 'for technical reasons' that were not related to the protests, but French media reported that the action was taken to protect the flame from the human-rights demonstrators lining the planned 28-kilometre route. An International Olympic Committee (IOC) spokesman said that the group would not comment on the incidents. 'The torch is the responsibility of ... the local Olympic committee,' he said, adding that the Olympic flame 'never dies.' The first incident occurred about one hour after former world 400- metre-hurdles champion Stephane Diagana left the first level of the Eiffel Tower on the first leg of the torch's scheduled itinerary through the French capital. After the demonstrations delayed the procession by at least two hours, the torch made the final leg of the trip by bus, shortening the route by at least one-fourth. A number of scheduled ceremonies including one foreseen for the Chinese embassy were cancelled to avoid further incidents. Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoe said that Chinese officials had cancelled a scheduled ceremony at City Hall. Dozens of French lawmakers joined the anti-China protest, standing behind a Tibetan flag and a banner reading 'Respect Human Rights in China,' as the torch passed the seat of the National Assembly in central Paris, BFM television reported. The disruptions occurred despite a heavy police presence following the torch's tumultuous passage Sunday through London, where at least 36 people were arrested. Some 3,000 police officers were stationed on the ground, in the air and even on the Seine River, while the torch was accompanied by a security perimeter of some 400 police officers on foot, horseback, motorcycle and roller blades as well as in cars. The media rights group Reporters Without Borders hung a large protest banner on the Eiffel Tower, and three of its members chained themselves to the monument. Paris is the final European stop for the torch, which will then be flown to the western hemisphere for appearances Wednesday in San Francisco and Friday in Buenos Aires. In the United States, police were bracing for numerous protests as the atmosphere worsened. 'At this time, and in light of recent events, I believe President Bush should not plan on attending the opening ceremonies in Beijing, absent major changes by the Chinese government,' said Clinton, who is locked in a tight race with fellow Senator Barack Obama for the opposition Democratic presidential nomination. Her call came as three protestors climbed San Francisco's famous Golden Gate Bridge and unfurled a Tibetan flag and banners proclaiming 'One World One Dream' and 'Free Tibet.' 'We are part of the global independent movement for Tibet, and we are calling the world's attention to what's happening in Tibet right now,' protestor Laurel Sutherlin told a local TV station as he dangled more than 50 meters above the bridge. 'China is trying to take this Olympic torch around the world and use it as an opportunity to become a global player. We are looking to unmask this propaganda and let the world know there's brutal oppression happening in Tibet.' Police had arrested four people on the bridge who appeared to be the support team for the cable climbers and took the three climbers into custody when they descended after two hours aloft. Clinton faulted the Chinese for the violent clashes in Tibet and for 'the failure of the Chinese government to use its full leverage with Sudan to stop the genocide in Darfur.' She said that the Bush administration had been 'wrong to downplay human rights in its policy towards China.' Bush has said he intends to participate in the opening ceremonies but will continue to press China on its human-rights record and to advocate open dialogue between Beijing and the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama. 'We have a great deal of concern about human rights in China, ... and we have never been afraid to express those views either directly by the president or the president's senior advisers when they travel to China, and publicly,' said Tony Fratto, a White House spokesman. San Francisco police were readying for major protests along the only US stop for the Olympic torch relay. The route along the waterfront is designed to minimize potential disruptions by numerous protest groups. The governing San Francisco Board of Supervisors called on the city to greet the Olympic torch with 'alarm and protest.'

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sallyApr 8th, 2008 - 17:26:41

There are billions of people in China. There is only a limited amount of resources. Therefore a system is required to satisfy this concern. Say what you want, but this is a fact. Those that want to 'free' another people that they know little about, should first consider what alternative program they would care to offer.

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BillnHillaryApr 8th, 2008 - 23:35:53

Get your head out of your boot! The number of people in China proper
does not justify the brutal repression of dissenters in sparsely-populated
Tibet. Beating Tibetans senseless with night-sticks who are only protesting the actions of China's occupying army of thugs cannot be
condoned by any rational person concerned with human rights. If China
wants to be recognized as a world leader by other nations then it needs
to learn to govern people with acceptable methods--not repression and
blood-letting.

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GdubyaApr 9th, 2008 - 02:22:26

The West has no right to have the words 'human rights' utter forth from their arses! The West (ALL WESTERN NATIONS) have and are committing more atrocities than China (ever could). So please hold the BS. Europe has 400 years of heavy handed colonialism on their slate. Now they chime in and criticize CHINA! My goodness, what hypocrisy. If the Chinese used us for a role model, they would invade Tibet and start SHOOTING and BOMBING the heck out of the unarmed citizenry, destroy the infrastructure and blame the population. Thank God theu are more humane and merciful than the civilized West.

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Jampa PhuntsokApr 10th, 2008 - 02:20:13

@Gdubya:
What the Western countries did centuries ago does NOT justify China's maltreatment of the Tibetans going on today. I am sure the Tibet supporters are ardent supporters of other causes as well such as of the Native Americans(which I strongly support, being a Tibetan) and others.

'If the Chinese used us for a role model, they would invade Tibet and start SHOOTING and BOMBING the heck out of the unarmed citizenry, destroy the infrastructure and blame the population.'

That's exactly what China did in 1951. And they had the nerve to claim that they 'liberated' the Tibetan whose entire family they had just killed.

That Tibetan was my grandfather.

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Free TibetApr 10th, 2008 - 05:53:07

Over the last 60 years over 1.2 million Tibetans have been massacred in cold blood by the Chinese military. Why has the world remained silent? Why?

China's human rights abuses are 'staggering': the detention of hundreds of thousands of people, including political activists, for 'reeducation' programs, and forced labor camps; and the liberal use of the death penalty in China -- including for political prisoners -- which makes China the site of 8 of every 10 government administered executions carried out in the world!

It is clear that the Communists can't be trusted at all and they have a bag full of tricks to fool not only Tibetans but the people of China with a state-controlled press. The solution is a free Tibet. There is no doubt that a sovereign Tibet would be a savior state not only for Tibetans but for all ethnic groups of China who have nowhere to go if they disagree with the CCP. A free Tibet would be such a free democratic heaven and haven.

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