This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/europe/7334545.stm

The article has changed 17 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 7 Version 8
Paris protests mar Olympic relay Protests cut short Olympic relay
(40 minutes later)
French security officials have been forced to extinguish the Olympic torch three times as it passes through Paris ahead of the Beijing Games in August. French security officials have been forced to cut short the Paris leg of the Olympic torch relay following anti-Chinese protests along the route.
Officials extinguished and put the torch on a bus for safety reasons, in the face of anti-China protests. The torch was extinguished three times due to the protests before being taken on a bus to the relay's end point.
The mayor of Paris cancelled a ceremony due to mark the torch relay after activists hung a Tibetan flag from the city hall. The cancellation comes after 37 people were arrested in London as protesters disrupted the torch relay on Sunday.
Police have made several arrests as protesters try to disrupt the relay. The Olympic flame is being carried through 20 countries before arriving for the Beijing Games in August.
The French protests came after 37 people were arrested during pro-Tibet protests which disrupted Sunday's relay in London. The torch relay started to go wrong almost from the start, despite the presence of 3,000 police along the route, riding motorcycles, jogging or on skates.
Earlier on Monday, the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Jacques Rogge, expressed concern over unrest in Tibet and the torch protests. 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.
'Olympic values'
Security in Paris has been extremely tight, with some 3,000 police on duty, riding motorcycles, jogging or on skates.
About 500 protesters were reported to be involved in the demonstrations, mainly near the Eiffel Tower. "Nothing's happening as it was meant to," Mr Diagana told French TV.
"It's a shame. It's sad because of what this symbol represents but it can be explained by the context we're aware of."
See the Paris routeSee the Paris route
Several hundred demonstrators waving banners gathered on the Trocadero esplanade where the relay began at 1235 (1035 GMT).
The International Olympic Committee has expressed its serious concern and calls for a rapid peaceful resolution in Tibet Jacques Rogge, IOC President How is the flame kept alight?Long history of Olympics protests 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 were forced three times to put out the torch and carried it onto a bus, as police cleared protesters from the route.Police were forced three times to put out the torch and carried it onto a bus, as police cleared protesters from the route.
The flame itself has been kept alight the whole time in a safety lantern.
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 Associated Press (AP) reported.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 Associated Press (AP) reported.
The flame itself has been kept alight the whole time in a safety lantern.
The International Olympic Committee has expressed its serious concern and calls for a rapid peaceful resolution in Tibet Jacques Rogge, IOC President How is the flame kept alight?Long history of Olympics protests
Later, Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoe cancelled a ceremony to mark the torch relay as Green party activists hung a Tibetan flag and a black banner depicting the Olympic rings as handcuffs from the Hotel de Ville (city hall).
Activists have hung Tibetan flags or the black banners from several Paris landmarks including the Eiffel Tower, the city hall (Hotel de Ville) and Notre Dame cathedral.
Several hundred protesters have been involved in the demonstrations, near the Eiffel Tower and along the torch's zig-zag route through Paris to a stadium in the south of the city.
Finally, after several delays, security officials decided to put the torch on a bus to take it to Stade Charlety.
Olympic appeal
Speaking in Beijing earlier, IOC President Jacques Rogge said he was concerned over both the recent unrest in Paris and the torch protests.Speaking in Beijing earlier, IOC President Jacques Rogge said he was concerned over both the recent unrest in Paris and the torch protests.
China has expressed disgust at the torch protests in London"The International Olympic Committee has expressed its serious concern and calls for a rapid peaceful resolution in Tibet," Mr Rogge said. "The International Olympic Committee has expressed its serious concern and calls for a rapid peaceful resolution in Tibet," Mr Rogge said.
He condemned the attempts to disrupt the torch relay, saying violent protests, "for whatever reason," are "not compatible with the values of the torch relay or the Olympic Games". China has expressed disgust at the torch protests in LondonHe condemned the attempts to disrupt the torch relay, saying violent protests, "for whatever reason," are "not compatible with the values of the torch relay or the Olympic Games".
China said the protests during London's Sunday torch relay were the work of "a few Tibetan separatists" attempting "to sabotage" the event, AP reported.China said the protests during London's Sunday torch relay were the work of "a few Tibetan separatists" attempting "to sabotage" the event, AP reported.
London's relay saw protesters trying to douse and even snatch the Olympic flame as athletes and celebrities carried it through the city.London's relay saw protesters trying to douse and even snatch the Olympic flame as athletes and celebrities carried it through the city.
The demonstrations have been sparked by China's security crackdown in Tibet following a series of protests against Chinese rule which swept the region last month.The demonstrations have been sparked by China's security crackdown in Tibet following a series of protests against Chinese rule which swept the region last month.
Tibetan exile groups say Chinese security forces killed dozens of protesters. Beijing says about 19 people were killed in rioting.Tibetan exile groups say Chinese security forces killed dozens of protesters. Beijing says about 19 people were killed in rioting.
The torch was lit in Olympia, Greece, on 24 March and will go through 20 countries before being carried into the opening ceremony at the Beijing Games on 8 August.The torch was lit in Olympia, Greece, on 24 March and will go through 20 countries before being carried into the opening ceremony at the Beijing Games on 8 August.
Click here to returnClick here to return