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Olympic Flame Doused 5 Times; Paris Relay Cut Short  

Posted Apr 7, 08 11:50 AM CDT in Sports,  World    Most Covered

(newser) – Paris police today extinguished the Olympic flame five times after massive pro-Tibet protests turned the torch relay into chaos. The torch was doused for the first time near the start of the route at the Eiffel Tower and taken on board the bus that accompanies the runners, the AP reports. Officials re-lit it farther along the route, only to douse it again four more times before finally cutting short the relay.

Despite 3,000 officers providing security on motorcycles, in jogging gear and on roller blades, at least two human-rights protesters got within almost an arm’s length of the flame before they were grabbed by police. Other activists from the media watchdog group Reporters Without Borders managed to scale the Eiffel Tower and hang a black flag with handcuffs in place of the Olympic rings.

Source Associated Press

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Olympic Flame Doused 5 Times; Paris Relay Cut Short
A Tibetan flag, center, and a Chinese flag, behind, are seen during the Olympic torch relay in Paris, Monday April 7, 2008.   (AP Photo/Francois Mori)
Olympic Flame Doused 5 Times; Paris Relay Cut Short
Police officers apprehend an anti-China demonstrator, waving a Tibetan flag, as he tried to interrupt the Olympic torch parade in Paris, Monday, April 7, 2008.   (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Olympic Flame Doused 5 Times; Paris Relay Cut Short
Police officers tackle an anti-China demonstrator, waving a Tibetan flag, right, during the Olympic torch relay Monday, April 7, 2008, in Paris.   (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Olympic Flame Doused 5 Times; Paris Relay Cut Short
Police apprehend a demonstrator as he tries to interrupt the Olympic relay before an athlete in a wheelchair, left, takes the torch in Paris, Monday, April 7, 2008.   (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Olympic Flame Doused 5 Times; Paris Relay Cut Short
Demonstrators shout during a pro-Tibet rally in front of the Eiffel Tower, Monday, April 7, 2008 during the Olympic torch relay.   (AP Photo/Jacques Brinon)
Olympic Flame Doused 5 Times; Paris Relay Cut Short
Rescuers reach activists from Reporters Without Borders after the activists unfurled on the Eiffel tower a black flag with the five Olympic rings depicted as handcuffs, Monday, April 7, 2008.   (AP Photo/Francois Mori)
Olympic Flame Doused 5 Times; Paris Relay Cut Short
A bus carrying Chinese officials and the Olympic Torch makes its way surrounded by police forces and security in Paris, Monday April 7, 2008.   (AP Photo/Francois Mori)
Olympic Flame Doused 5 Times; Paris Relay Cut Short
Security men tackle activists as they try to approach Stephane Diagana, right, the 400-meter world champion in 1997, as he carries the Olympic torch in Paris, Monday, April 7, 2008.   (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
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China  • 2008 Beijing Olympics  • Tibet  • Paris  • torch relay


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