Smoke bomb from protesters interrupts Olympic torch London relay.

Smoke bomb from protesters interrupts Olympic torch London relay.

news.bbc.co.uk

Scuffles between pro-Tibet protesters and police have marred the start of the Olympic torch parade through London.

Three people were taken away by police after trying to board the bus carrying the torch from the stadium.

Protesters later tried to snatch it from ex-Blue Peter presenter Konnie Huq and a fire extinguisher was let off.

(visit the link for the full news article)

I have a few friends down in London today at the protest and I am proud of them, including the many thousands who have attended also.

It is stupid for the Prime Minister to meet the torch at Downing Street, Britain (a democracy) should not be attending or playing part in Chinese propaganda.

news.bbc.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

Considering the crimes that the uk and america do, i hardly think they could tell anyone what to do.

Thanks for this breaking news, Infinite. The BBC tv news coverage is all very dramatic, with a demonstrator trying to wrestle the torch away from some B list celebrity.

I hope the ones carrying that torch get treated like pariahs. They've got blood on their hands.

andy1033, thats a different topic. Do not try and hijack my thread.

back to topic...

The relay has been stopped.

Pro-Chinese protests have decided to pay a visit to the Free Tibet crowd MPs are angry with the Chinese for arranging Pro-China rallys along the torch route.

reply to post by andy1033


exactly,
This is a double edged sword. Chinas rep might not be all that
but neither is this countries and that of many others.

bring out the Tear GAS

Route was changed in London so the Chinese ambassador could take part

Nice to see Ken Livingston has too given in to propaganda and allowed Trafalgar Square to become "Red Square"

15 now arrested..

Nice to see we are making China proud

(note to London members: Please do not vote Ken Livingston)

[edit on 6-4-2008 by infinite]

reply to post by infinite


a question

should China and other countries protest against us holding the olympics in 2012?
with their people calling for boycotts and so on


after Iraq? and whats happening there

[edit on 6-4-2008 by bodrul]

Watching it now. Even though the UK isn't perfect, it still has human rights, whereas China arrests people for speaking out, not to mention Tibet. I strongly disagree with the UK on the matter.

The sight of those Chinese goons protecting the torch in Downing Street ... what were they trying to do ? Which division of the PLA are they from and what the hell are they doing on British streets ?

there is some really bad police brutality going on down there, i seen a policeman punch one of the protesters at the side of the protest for no reason
Makes me sick

Also, Sky news are saying it was fire extinguisher not a smoke bomb?

reply to post by bodrul


OMG,
you are playing the Iraq card? Why? It is not related to this thread.

Iraq was justified and is nothing compared to what China does to its own citizens. If you think they are the same, then your anti-war position is making you extremely bias towards the UK.

I don't know about you, but I don't support fascist dictators who torture their own people. Like Saddam.

I feel sorry for the people in Tibet, Darfur, Burma and Zimbabwe who need our help but cannot get it because are own citizens would rather compare Iraq to China insteading of putting pressure on China

Originally posted by Niall197
The sight of those Chinese goons protecting the torch in Downing Street ... what were they trying to do ? Which division of the PLA are they from and what the hell are they doing on British streets ?

The Chinese men in blue are from the PLA. UK MPs are very angry that foreign soliders are in our capital and even grabbing protesters!

Nice to see the athletes have been briefed by Gordon Brown and are repeating his views on the Olympics

Just saw a brief clip on FOX news. The Chinese protesters are idiots. Does anyone not think this out. All this does is put pity on the Chinese government. The torch is a peaceful symbol. Attacking it is just stupid.

There were many other options available, but this probably looked good to them on paper.

Look at this from the point of view of somebody who has no idea about any of this. It would appear VERY silly. They would think, why is everyone going crazy over some torch? haha. It comedy at it's best.

i have just got back from protesting at this event. The police were complealty out of order! they were extremely violent to a number of people who were just walking by and got pushed to the floor by police! I was standing in Whitehall where the largest protect was. What I found strange was how the Pro Chinese group were stamping their feet and trying to place the Chinese flags in Pro Tibet hands, Spitting on the feet of people who held Tibet flags. I understand what the Olympics is about and I think that protecting for a free Tibet in London today was the right desision to make, even more than ever now that i have witnessed people who were on the other side of the fence shouting abuse at the free tibet groups who were simply protesting and having a voice.

People need to be educated with what is going on around them, instead of just closing their eyes to the realities of what nations are doing to their, "our" people.


Nothing else violent has happened other than a few more Police officers pushing innocent people who are standing up for what they believe is right to the floor. It was disgusting what I saw. If the torch can not be taken around the world in a peacful manner then the issues surounding this must be adressed and taken care of before a world event.. or it will be used as a means to get a policial message out to the world!

Needless to say this is typically the Western media reporting again, did any of you hear any news about the torch in Kazahkstan, Turkey, Russia? Guess nobody bothered to report it or want to discuss about it because the events there are contradicting what you want to see. Which is protest for your meaningful goal.

Most likely viewpoints when watching the MSM news about Protest torch estaffes:

- Western activists, anti-globalists, hr etc etc: "Great, we are doing a great job making noises. We get the neccesary attention again! Boycott! Where is the torch going next, maybe I should join the protests too!"

- Majority of common Western people: "Crazy dudes, what is that torch for? where is my beer, I so hope that in the second half my team will turn around the game and win!"

- Most of western politicians: "What should I do, what should I comment when those annoying ring me again....I don't want to loose any voters, what is the best strategy, I don't want to loose...."

- Common non-Western world people who care about watching what happens in London/Paris: "Those westerners again, why they are not protesting about their own .... "

- Majority of common non-Western world: "Why the rice prices are rising again, oh no, a power outage again, I hope I have clean water tomorrow."

- Non-Western world politicians: "Hah, let them (China vs Western World) fight it out, this is a good show."

- Overseas Chinese communities: "Damn those activists and westerners again, hypocrits, where were the reporting of the torch in Kazahkstan, Turkey, Russia and blablabla... Where is the torch going next? Maybe I should join the pro-China protests."

- Common Chinese people: "I knew the western world is against China, they are jealous, we will win, we will show them. They know nothing about China. Better they never come."

Originally posted by misuneko
What I found strange was how the Pro Chinese group were stamping their feet and trying to place the Chinese flags in Pro Tibet hands, Spitting on the feet of people who held Tibet flags.

As a Chinese who had been in continental Europe for years and went to UK countless times, let me try to explain to you how many overseas Chinese people think. (In no way I expect you to understand, or to be convinced, just want to express my opinion).

First of all, never forget that Chinese people in your country is a minority, who think this whole situation is against the Chinse people and not only policies.

As an oversea Chinese we are in general a quiet silent minority community in Europe (incl UK), who try to find a good balance of upholding the history-rich Chinese culture, norms and values and be integrated in a society of a different culture. In general we don't make and hate troubles. We even try to avoid troubles. The overseas Chinese are usually more close knit and just do what we need to do and live the life we want to live our lives. The younger generation is sent to study, and the older generation runs their Chinese restaurants. Normally you will never hear from us.

When you never hear from us, do not mean we don't know what is going on around us. We see maybe even more than the common people living next doors, because we have more access to a variety of news sources. News sources who do very often show the other side of the story too. These news are often coming from Hong Kong or Taiwan. The overseas Chinese community sees how biased the Western MSM is and in general feel that there is discrimination against China overall. And many of these overseas Chinese community most likely have seen a documentary on TVB this week, the most viewed Hong Kong broadcasting channel among the Chinese communities all over the world, which addressed the recent bias and blunt wrong reporting of Western MSM, CNN, Germans, BBC etc etc. This angered even more (overseas) common Chinese.

The over majority of this Chinese community does not understand why these "westerners" are so anti-China oriented, they believe it is the jealousy or whatever reasons they can come up. There is a huge anger growing inside many of these Chinese therefore. They feel it is Unfair, Unjustified and Anti-China propaganda. And most important is why the Western government does not do anything about the biases against the anti-China reporting and anti-Chinese sentiments. When they saw how pro-China demonstrations were in many places (which is rarely reported, but being reported by HK/TW channels), they feel that they for once in their life time should step up too now.

This is why you will see a Chinese community stepping up trying to "protect" a "Chinese property". A symbol, that activists are using to express their opinions. A symbol, that Chinese people feels is now representing more than only a flame. A symbol intended for bringing cultures together in a peaceful way, but now being abused as a political weapon.

The Chinese people stamping or spitting or whatsoever they were doing, they are most likely so fed-up and have to express their intense anger about being discriminated. Hey, again, regardless if these activists say what, Chinese people WILL think they are against Chinese and not only policies. So if this intense anger is being exploded, you will see a seldom scenario in your lifetime, your silent Chinese neighbour is screaming, and will do anything to make their voices heard.















[edit on 6/4/08 by IchiNiSan]

reply to post by infinite


not Really the Iraq war was never justified
and the UK should never have gone in there.
see it as you wish.

we went to Iraq and have broken International laws on POWs and
by invading the country.

uk isnt a saint just like China