Olympic torch protests - Free Tibet

[noriise]

Look here for protest and torch route (from guardian website)

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=U...27716&spn=0.085461,0.315857&z=11&source=embed

 

[Pavlik]

Not going to make it down after all as my weekend went a bit pear shaped,
so no pics from me.

I hope the day passes peacefully, for everyone's sake.

 

[scott_forester]

It's interesting to watch this develop. Murdoch's papers seem to already be labeling protesters as attacking the Olympic ideal - I wonder why

Also the Police have said they'll be on the look out for 'inapprotiate' banners. I guess that'll be anything below 'China is fab'

I didn't like the idea of 2012 in the first place and seeing this circus I like it even less. BTW what on Earth are people like Konnie Huq doing carrying it, couldn't they have found some of the legion of people who give up their time in local sport to carry rather than pointless clebs?

 

[Treacle Toes]

Just heard on the radio that police have moved in on protesters at Wembley....


Police report 8 arrests for breach of the peace.

 

[magneze]

Watch News24 it's quite amusing. There currently seems to be someone throwing themselves at or in front of the torch every few mins. PR disaster for the Olympics ... serves them right.

 

[CharlieAddict]

Well quite...I was asking on another thread how to support Tibetans/let the Chinese govt know I'm pissed off but stuff like boycotting Chinese goods is only going to hit the average Chinese person most of whom are getting their human rights stamped on too

What are you to do?

as for me - and like many chinese folk that were raised in the UK - i'm not gonna join the 'free tibet' campaign. cos like the dalai lama, i agree that tibet is part of china.

what are you to do? protest - it's your given right.

but tbh, the Chinese always see westerners as trying to meddle in their affairs - and are unlikely to give a toss/and they not lost face either.

 

[Yossarian]

as for me - and like many chinese folk that were raised in the UK - i'm not gonna join the 'free tibet' campaign. cos like the dalai lama, i agree that tibet is part of china.

Tiananmen Square's a part of China too - doesn't mean the human rights abuses aren't worth protesting about.

 

[dweller]

if you're not there and want to keep an eye on the protests watch bbc news 24. someone almost got the torch from konnie huq. people are jumping out all along the route. chaos

 

[editor]

It's outstanding entertainment. What a PR catastrophe!

 

[CharlieAddict]

Tiananmen Square's a part of China too - doesn't mean the human rights abuses aren't worth protesting about.

those issues are worth protesting about.
it's your democratic right to.

 

[CharlieAddict]

this is like the BEST OLYMPIC TORCH RUN EVER!!

(fingers crossed the Chinese Ambassador turns up with an unexpected guest - Kim Jong-il!!!).

 

[purves grundy]

those issues are worth protesting about.

those in Tibet aren't?

 

[Treacle Toes]

Watch News24 it's quite amusing. There currently seems to be someone throwing themselves at or in front of the torch every few mins. PR disaster for the Olympics ... serves them right.

You are right. A serious protest about a serious issue but watching the coverage is strangely amusing.

 

[dweller]

they seem to have stopped the footage of the flame. technical difficulties . yeah that'd be right.

 

[CharlieAddict]

those in Tibet aren't?

tibet is part of china.
if people wish to protest it should be about the civil rights issues in china as a whole.

 

[gentlegreen]

Is Gordon Brown going to run with the torch then ?

I bet Blair would have - and look a right tit in the tracksuit.

 

[Yossarian]

tibet is part of china.
if people wish to protest it should be about the civil rights issues in china as a whole.

What's wrong with focusing on the country's repression of minority peoples? Tibet may be part of China but Tibetans certainly aren't Chinese.

 

[purves grundy]

tibet is part of china.
if people wish to protest it should be about the civil rights issues in china as a whole.

Has anybody asked the Tibetans whether they want to be Chinese? This is about self-determination.

 

[CharlieAddict]

Has anybody asked the Tibetans whether they want to be Chinese? This is about self-determination.

that's cultural revolution for you - one voice. one people.

the tibetans weren't the only ones that have lost their culture.

 

[dweller]

i get the sense of 'the show must go on' despite the total lack of any sense of Olympic harmony. loads of police. cold grey snowy weather. not a warm welcome. well done protestors. point made. if I didn't have the flu i'd be there too. denise Van outen sod off. next stop whitehall.

 

[dweller]

trev mac and steve cram were subject to heavy protest after traf square. this happened off camera.

 

[Augie March]

Well done to the protests.

Though I think targeting a young female TV presenter when attempting to steal the torch, probably wasn't the cleverest of moves really.

 

[treelover]

It is revealing that for a relatively small protest, there are so many non violent direct action protests, yet on the Iraq protests of hundreds of thousands, so few, says it all about STWC

 

[jæd]

Well done to the protests.

Though I think targeting a young female TV presenter when attempting to steal the torch, probably wasn't the cleverest of moves really.

I thought the fire estinguisher was a bit more creative. The reports from the girl who where taken down it doesn't seem she was too much affected or hurt.

I'll be heading off to Whitechapel to add my "boo's" to the mass...

 

[Treacle Toes]

I thought the fire estinguisher was a bit more creative. The reports from the girl who where taken down it doesn't seem she was too much affected or hurt.

I'll be heading off to Whitechapel to add my "boo's" to the mass...

Whitechapel is a possible hot spot over here in East London.

 

[Garcia Lorca]

Well done to the protests.

Though I think targeting a young female TV presenter when attempting to steal the torch, probably wasn't the cleverest of moves really.

it wasnt the tv presenter who was the target, as far as the footage shows there wasnt a hand near her, it was the torch. Couldnt care less who the grab it off of, it was a good move.

Fire extinguisher was good to see as well and it has turned out to be a PR nightmare. As people above have said, despite the seriousness of it all.. it is fcking hilarious viewing!

 

[Treacle Toes]

WHy has no-one used a garden hose out of a first floor window?

Although I suspect the police have banned people having windows open along the route.

 

[treelover]

Yes, it does at times remind you of that great British institution, the Ealing Comedy!

Fire extinguisher was good to see as well and it has turned out to be a PR nightmare. As people above have said, despite the seriousness of it all.. it is fcking hilarious viewing!
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[Augie March]

it wasnt the tv presenter who was the target, as far as the footage shows there wasnt a hand near her, it was the torch. Couldnt care less who the grab it off of, it was a good move.

It was a bit one-sided though!

It's a protest about the oppression of people against a much stronger opposition. I think the sight of a man trying to wrestle something from the hands of a young woman, isn't quite the best image to send around the world really is it?

 

[jæd]

It was a bit one-sided though!

It's a protest about the oppression of people against a much stronger opposition. I think the sight of a man trying to wrestle something from the hands of a young woman, isn't quite the best image to send around the world really is it?

She was still smiling when it was being "wrestled" from her, or at least had big grin....