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This is going through London right now and it's on BBC News 24 and it's the funniest thing I've seen in ages.

Because of the snow and cold weather it seems hardly any 'ordinary people' are bothering to stand along the route to watch it - the only ones who are bothering are the protesters. So we have one person running with a torch, surrounded by 12 'torch attendents' (security guards) who are surrounded by about ten policemen on bicycles. They run through the street, crowds booing them all the way, with more policemen running alongside to get in between the torch and the crowd and yet, every couple of minutes, a protester will break through and the relay has to stop.

There's been one fire extinguisher let off, one guy actually managed to get his hands on the torch and nearly snatched it out of the carrier's hand.

It's a massive PR disaster for the Beijing Olympics, and will be for Gordon Brown later as the relay is going to Downing Street and he will be seen accepting this massively unpopular procession, purely because his hands are tied. As the next Olympic hosts, Britain has to be seen to be fully supporting this year's games. A fantastic shambles.

Anyone dressed in a Gorilla costume?

I agree, Brown must be squirming. v funny!

completely stuffed though, as the IOC brought Beijing upon themselves, the Chinese authorities couldn't care less (they've got what they wanted) and he has to support it lol

LOL........Blue Peter ain't what it used to be...................cant even hold onto a torch. :D

The protester must have been gay - he sees Konnie Huq carrying a torch and he tries to get his hands on the torch...

Are we running a sweepstake on the number of arrests?

I'm going for 32.

10 so far

 29 for me

I'm going for 33, purely so that if it looks like Kinboshi is going to win, I can run down and get nicked myself to scupper it.

just switched it on - there's 30+ coppers now

I'd rather lose and watch you get arrested on telly than win the sweepstake. 

 /:-|

 bbc news 24 have live pictures...sky not ?

They're saying 15 arrests now, and three more being nicked live and exclusive on BBC news 24.

15 confirmed arrests, and rising LOL

yeah don't you bloody dare protest!

what an absolute fkin shambles ..

LOL at the reporter thinking that Steve Cram was Ali Jawad.  They don't look like identical twins to me.

..and yet compulsive viewing.

My guess at 32 arrests seems far too small now.

wonder how it will be reported on the news tonight..whether a positive spin will be given to it or not.

Whats their point? Have they gone busto on 'OlympicTorchPoker.com'?   :dontask:

omg, I'm watching the torch when there's a footy match on

fk my life

Priceless

"Konnie Huq told BBC News 24 she was "a bit bashed about" but not seriously hurt.

"I always said my taking part in the procession doesn't mean I condone China in any way," she added.

"I believe in the Olympic values, the Olympic ideals... it's just unfortunate that China has such a terrible track record when it comes to human rights and they are the host nation."

Those taking part in the relay include 10 Olympic champions, 18 schoolchildren and public figures such as news reader Sir Trevor McDonald and musician Vanessa Mae.

What a complete farce this is.  The only other people there apart from the torch carrier, torch protectors and police are the protestors!  Waste of money.  Get in a cab with it, save everyone the hassle.

Would have to be a convertible.

Latest arrest count = 35

Konnie Huq though. You just would.

Oh yes.

Another two protesters just had a go. This is great fun - the England rugby team should look to pick a few of these coppers, their tackles are quite good.

Ooooh, two more just tried to grab Tessa Sanderson (who has not aged one bit in 20 years) but were stopped by the police scrum.

And now the Sugababes have pulled out of the final ceremony - even these publicity hungry poppets want nothing to do with the shambles.

Fatima Whitbread would have been a better choice.  For the whole 31 miles.  Problem solved.

LOL the great political activists that are "The Sugababes"

I bet Iron named them as well !! :D

one of the best things I've seen on tv in ages. was watching with a mate at lunchtime and we were wondering what charges could be pressed against the guy who was arrested for trying to put the flame out with a fire extinguisher. any ideas?

surely putting out fires is not illegal

 rotflmfao

is she flammable then?

Im sure it could be arranged!

Her stubble would burn for days !

(http://colsudhirfarm.com/img/burning_wheat_stubble.jpg)

Breach of the peace will be the charge if any .... too much paper work for the cops probably just stick the protestors in a cell for the night.

10.20 on BBC1 - The Road to Beijing: The Olympic flame in London.  Highlights of today's torch ceremony.  Will be interesting to see how it's edited.

Will they have an interactive 'arrest counter' - maybe with John Snow hosting?

Paris,go and see the Olympic Torch. On a bus!

"Several hundred demonstrators waving banners gathered on the Trocadero esplanade where the relay got started at 1235 local time (1135 BST).

A member of the French Green party was restrained by police after attempting to grab the torch from the first of Paris's 80 torch bearers, former world 400 metres hurdles champion Stephane Diagana, Reuters news agency said.

Police twice carried the torch onto a bus amid the demonstrations.

On the second occasion, the flame was being relayed out of a Paris traffic tunnel by an athlete in a wheelchair when it was taken onto a bus because protesters booed and began chanting "Tibet", the Assoicated Press reported"

"ITN - 39 minutes agoOfficials have reportedly been forced to extinguish the Olympic flame twice after it was targeted by protesters in Paris.

(Advertisement)
The French capital has been targeted by hundreds of demonstrators angry over China's treatment of Tibet.

Reports say the torch had to be temporarily put out shortly around noon on Monday after activists breached a security cordon of Chinese minders and roller-skating French police.

The torch bearers retreated to a bus before relighting the symbolic flame and continuing the parade through the streets.

But the torch had to be switched off again and put back on a bus as crowds waved anti-Chinese banners and jeered the torch party.

Four people were arrested by French police in connection with the disturbances.

The torch relay left the Eiffel Tower with an escort of 65 police on motorcycles, 100 firemen, more than 200 riot police and 100 officers on rollerblades.

But as in London, the procession was plagued by scuffles between the torch party and activists.

In London, more than 30 people were arrested as they protested. A man came close to snatching the torch and a fire extinguisher was let off near the flame.

But the protesters did not succeed in actually extinguishing the flame, seen as a symbol of the Olympic spirit of peace and co-operation between nations.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge said: "The torch relay has been targeted. The IOC has expressed serious concerns and calls for rapid, peaceful resolution in Tibet.

"Violence for whatever reason is not compatible with the values of the torch relay and the Olympic Games. Some people have played with the idea of boycotts. As I speak today, there is no momentum for a general boycott."

lol..the French immediately put it out. Also quite funny that the IOC is more concerned about the torch relay being a target for violence and wasn't very concerned about anything when they gave the games to China. Seb Coe (The filthiest of the filthiest of crooks..in my personal opinion obviously) really stuck it at the protesters yesterday..saying something along the lines of "In the Olympics we have 97 countries particapating with eachother..some of these countries don't even talk to eachother during the rest of the year so don't tell me about International Co-operation and what the games can do!) (Never mind that he is is absolutely raking it in over the back of the Olympic ideal)..Steve Redgrave (Great athlete but a twat none-the-less) said "We didn't go to the Russian games as part of a boycott and that didn't change anything so i feel we shouldn't boycott it now"..."We can't change anything anyways"....nice going Steve, you just keep peddling your little boat as that is obviously more important than people being shot to death for having a different opinion from their government. I hate athletes...almost all of them become complete twats and selt absorbed pillocks because "To succeed you have to think about nr1 and only nr1"...Apparently it's called ambition, these days. Olympic heroes my arse..shame on the bloody lot of 'em.

and breathe out

Redgrave a what?


go back to Berlin shorty!

Sorry it just drives me nuts. And yes..Redgrave a Twat..a fanny..a fud. Let him go back and peddle his medals on A Question of Sport.
So you can row a little boat better than anyone else...who really gives a crap? (Other than Sue Barker obviously)

And I'd go to berlin..but what are the odds of Berlin getting the games anytime soon?

LOL @ Victor

Redgrave's got a point - what did the boycotts of Moscow & Los Angeles achieve?

Celtic refused to play an Eastern block team after the Russian invasion of Czecheslovakia - got them kicked out of the European Cup - we're still remembered for it there, but it did f*** all politically & we've not had a favorable decision from UEFA since.

I'd rather the games, torch etc went on - allowing the protests to get an audience. BTW I feel sorry for the Chinese students being told to counter protest. Having worked with a group from China and seen the power the 'Party Official' had I'm sure they've little choice.

Voting in an election as an individual also doesn't achieve a lot. Neither does sending 2£ a month to a charity helping people in Africa when there are millions dying. The arguement that "We might as well not do anything as whatever we do won't help anyways" is the biggest load of bollox I have ever heard ad I almost believe it is downright offensive.  Sometimes you just have to say "Wait a minute, this just isn't F'ing right!" And then you either stand up for what you believe in or you shut the F up..but the "Whatever I do doesn't change anything" line of reasoning is the reason for just about 90% of all the world's evils. It is why China can kill people in Tibet, why Mugabe can do whatever he likes, why most African leaders are corrupt dictators who ruin their country, why  CEO's can run a company into the groundmaking everybody lose their pensions and hard-earned money and yet they walk off with a big bonus, why Putin can take a fierce hold on the press in Russia and why people are still getting slaughtered in Darfur.

I have a lot more respect for a team like Celtic that says "OI! This isn't on and therefore we shall not be playing you lot" Sure you might get punished for it..but that's the way these things go. You do the right thing and only after doing it do you worry about the consquences. And you take whatever comes after that "like a man" because you are safe in the knowledge that what you did was right. It is what separates the Celtics of this world from all the normal "we just want to play footie and make money" footie teams and what separates the men from the boys IMO.

"men from the bhoys" - surely?

OH dammit!..how I wished I had used that one!

Scholboy error on the Men against Bhoys Boldie ;D

My point was is it better to say stuff your olympics, or to have the protests which make more news here than any protests in recent years. I wish Burma were holding the olympics as then some attention to far more heavy handed treatment of protestors could be highlighted (but the same reason - ££££ means our cowards in charge won't say anything).

TBH the Olympics are flawed and could be obsolete, from nazi salutes and Jesse Owens to black pride salutes, to governementally organised boycotts, they're just not worth it.

 I prefer the world championships which seem to involve far less politics

World championships rule!..(I actually watch those whereas I don't give a crap about the Olympics)

I wonder if there'll be similar protests in 2012 regarding the UK's stance alongside the US in Iraq.

Don't be silly surely by 2012 Iraq will be a haven of peace and tranquility?

A caravan holiday park?

;carlocitrone;

Ohhh baby do you know what that's worth? oooooo HAVEN is a place on earth!

They'll have plenty of room for a few caravans in a few years, me thinks.

what you on about, by 2012 Iraq will be another US state.

All Olympic events to be changed to railway-building competitions.

Kwai?

No, she went of her own accord.

LOL

Tonight is San Francisco's turn for the torch relay. The relay organisers have gone to extreme lengths to make sure today goes 'smoothly'.

They lit the torch, then went into a warehouse, then secretly smuggled the torch away without telling anyone to a secret location so that they could hold the 'relay' in front of no one. They changed the route and told no one.

A news helicopter has just found them and we can see the torch, the torch attendents, the phalanx of police, and no one else, save for the official Olympic camera crew on the back of a truck.

Apparantly those involved in the relay were not even allowed to take their mobile phones in case they were to call someone and tell them where they were.

You just could not write a better farce than this.