London Torch Song

UK protesters disrupt Olympic torch relay
By Jimmy Burns and Shyamantha Asokan in London and Geoff Dyer in Shanghai
Published: April 6 2008 13:34 | Last updated: April 6 2008 19:37


What organisers billed as a day of sporting celebration came close to a public relations disaster on Sunday as the 31-mile procession of the Olympic torch through London was marred by arrests and protests over China’s human rights record.

Travelling from Wembley to Greenwich via Downing Street, the ceremony marked the latest stage of the torch’s global “harmony” tour, which is being used to highlight China’s growing economic and political power.

In television images beamed around the world, pro-Tibetan protesters were shown making their most organised attempt so far to disrupt the torch’s progress to Beijing and drawing attention to their cause.

Further protests are expected on Monday when the torch arrives in France amid reports of new unrest in Tibetan regions and signs over the weekend that some European political figures, including Hans-Gert Pöttering, the president of the European parliament, are considering boycotting the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing games.

By late on Sunday British police had arrested 35 people as protesters tried to stop the relay of the torch as it was carried by a succession of bearers, including former British Olympic champions, and television personalities.

Gordon Brown, prime minister, tried to defuse the row over his participation in the event and notably did not touch the torch when it was handed over in Downing Street by former Olympic heptathlete and gold medallist Denise Lewis. Aides said Mr Brown had borne in mind London’s status as the host of the 2012 Olympics when agreeing to receive the torch.

In a further damage limitation exercise, Tessa Jowell, Olympic minister, said the protests were evidence of democracy at work, and urged China to take stock of international concerns about its human rights. “It is absolutely clear that over the next four months, the eyes of the world are on China,” Ms Jowell said.

Pro-Tibet campaigners jumped over barriers in order to snatch the Olympic symbol as it was carried down Whitehall by Ms Lewis, but were swiftly dragged away by police.

The protesters included members of the Free Tibet Campaign and of Amnesty International, and Buddhist monks. Some opposed not only the Chinese regime but also the UK’s participation in the torch tour.

“We expect democratic governments to practise what they preach,” said one FTC supporter on Whitehall, who did not want to be named. “They speak against the abuses in China but then they welcome the torch.”

Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrat leader, said the prime minister’s involvement was “wholly inappropriate” while China continued to refuse to hold talks with the Dalai Lama.

Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2008