Beijing Blasts Torch Protests

Today China denounced the protests that have disrupted Olympic torch relays in London and Paris over the past 2 days, Reuters reports. "The despicable activities tarnish the lofty Olympic spirit," a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said. She also denied media reports that "the Olympic torch was forced to be extinguished during its relay in Paris."

"We express our strong condemnation of the deliberate disruption of the Olympic torch relay by 'Tibetan independence' separatist forces, who gave no thought to the Olympic spirit or the laws of Britain and France," she said. The torch will arrive Wednesday in San Francisco, where protests have already begun. Paris police reportedly extinguished the flame 5 times today during massive pro-Tibet rallies. (More China stories.)