Protesters in France Douse Olympic Torch in Support of Tibet

The group Reporters Without Borders isn't letting China off the hook for human rights violations.

(PARIS, France) - Hundreds of demonstrators gathered at the Eiffel Tower for the passing of the Olympic Torch say the world will be aware of China's military crackdown in Tibet. The protesters were able to put the torch out as it made its way through the French capitol.

The demonstrators say it is ridiculous to allow Beijing to pretend it is a fair and open nation as the Communist driven Asian giant cracks down on peaceful protesters in both Tibet and in the Muslim province of Xinjiang, where residents voiced support of the Dali Lama and Tibet.

Today on the Trocadero esplanade, across the Seine river, more than 3,000 French Police mobilized, many on roller skates, to deal with the angry and sometimes violent crowd.

They were deployed over a 28-kilometre procession. It is reported that fights started between riot police and demonstrators and several people were arrested.

As far as the report of the flame being temporarily put out during the procession, "for technical reasons" according to officials, it was placed inside a police bus from where it continued its journey. Demonstrators say they fully extinguished the passing flame.

The calls for the action today came from a number of protesters allied with the French NGO "Reporters Without Borders" which has openly called for the boycott of the Games' opening ceremony. The relay that passed through London was marked by similar protests over the weekend.

Reporters Without Borders says they are appalled by the sentence of three and a half years in prison that a Beijing court passed in April on leading activist Hu Jia for "inciting subversion of state power." The organization expresses its support for his wife, Zeng Jinyan, who is under house arrest with her four-month-old-daughter, his lawyers and all those who showed solidarity with him despite the threats from Chinese state security.

"The Chinese justice system has, at the behest of the authorities, thrown oil on the flames just four months ahead of the Olympic Games by imposing this sentence of Hu Jia, a figurehead of the peaceful struggle to improve respect for human rights in China," Reporters Without Borders said.

"In jailing this resolute individual, the government is silencing a spokesman for the victims of repression, one who would have had the courage to talk to the thousands of foreign journalists coming to Beijing to cover the Olympics. The list of Olympic Games prisoners is getting longer while the International Olympic Committee remains desperately silent."

And the demonstrators say there is more to come, hoping to bring China's role as a human rights violator in the world into view for more people.

The Olympic flame is due to travel on through San Francisco next, and officials expect see the torch remain the focus of human rights demonstrators bringing attention to the situation in Tibet and in China.

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April 19, 2008 8:18 pm (Pacific time)

no investigate no voice

cherry April 19, 2008 8:19 pm (Pacific time)

no investigate no voice

gyh.cherry April 19, 2008 8:12 pm (Pacific time)

NO INVESTIGATE NO VOICE I am a Chinese high school student,and all of us love the olympic games. We are proud of hosting the olympic games. In order to make the olympic games the best one, all of the Chinese citizens want to do whatthey can .so as to show a new China, a developing country to the whole world,all of the Chinese itch for this movement! But in paris, in france,in such a wonderful country, insuch a great city,it made us very disappointed! THERE,I couldn't find gentleness,or friendliness.I can only see craziness and rudeness, I can only see prejudice and ignorance! I must tell the french and french government that your actions make 1,300,000,000 people angry,and we feel insult! During the demonstration,I can't find non-violence,I can't find france's gentleness, I can't find humanity! Is it your gentleness that attacked the disabled girl who held up the torch? Is it your human rights thatbroke others righes? In that case, I have to say: WHAT a terrible country! WHAT a terrible city! WHAT a terrible people! I can't understand why the french media are so ignorant when they reported China ! I can't find your justice and professional principle! As a Chinese student,I know a lot of information adout france and China's friendship. From Charles De Gaulle to Hillark ,there are many wonderful memories bettwen France and China ! FOr france, our Chinese have a spical feeling!SO, don't break this kind of feeling! When you make comments on a country, you should first carry out an investigation.Only in this way can you give a just and objective comment! What's more , please come to China,and go to tibet and other place. Finally, you 'll find a real China. Please remember: Seeing is believing! No investigation, no voice! (

Sigismond April 12, 2008 9:09 am (Pacific time)

STOP THE FLAME OF SHAME, IT'S GOING TO LIT A TIBETAN STAKE (photograph of the VietNamese monk who burnt himself alive at the end of the was in VietNam.)

DLC April 10, 2008 10:00 pm (Pacific time)

Oh yeah moron, sports over humanity, right? Jeez, I can't believe you think the Buddhists are dangerous, they only want peace, people of your ilk only care about the money and entertainment, get a life.

is that your freedom? April 10, 2008 8:25 pm (Pacific time)

i can not even leave a message!

Anti_Fake_news April 10, 2008 8:24 pm (Pacific time)

It is the torch of the world, France should protect it better. Give money to some Buddhists and encourage the chaos, that is all you can do?!

James April 7, 2008 2:26 pm (Pacific time)

To the point...It's not about China, it's not about Tibet and it's not even about the moron protesters, it's about the athletes and the spectacle of the Olympic Games. To extinguish the Olympic flame as a political protest is absolutely disgusting!

john doe April 7, 2008 12:01 pm (Pacific time)

weather or not this was right or not the fact of the matter is that a law was broken. is there a law worldwide stating the everybody has a right to peaceful demonstration i am not aware of one. the olympic commitee will not get invloved unless it is due to pressure from the UN. no one will do anything about this situation because to even attempt it would caues a world war with nbo winner what so ever as the only wait to defeat china in a military sense would be to use nuclear warfare which would demand a similar response. lest not even mention the fact that china recently purchased the majority of the old russian submarines. and that they just recently started their industrial revolution

Teal April 7, 2008 10:13 am (Pacific time)

China the world is watching you. You can't hide your dirty laundry forever

Matt Johnson in Malibu April 7, 2008 10:02 am (Pacific time)

Oh yeah, the Buddhists are really dangerous? That is a crazy suggestion and senseless when you are talking about the iron fist of the Chinese Communist government clamping down on innocent "peaceful protesters" and that is exactly what they are!

bsjwv April 7, 2008 9:50 am (Pacific time)

People need to show some respect to the Olympic and China. Western protesters are crass and disrespectful. They need to get their facts checked because the Tibet riot was NOT peaceful! They burned shops and houses and attacked ethnic Chinese. GET THE FACT STRAIGHT. Western media is so f%^&ing bias.

Jon April 7, 2008 9:46 am (Pacific time)

Beaware of your local newspaper's reputation and do some homework before copy-and-paste lines. E.g. "peaceful protesters in both Tibet...", it makes readers like me wondering if the paper is credible anymore...

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Protesters in France Douse Olympic Torch in Support of Tibet

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