protests

The Olympic torch, or "la flamme olympique", passed through Paris today. We just missed it! We were several minutes late, it seems. We did see, however, the enormous "manifestations", or protests, against China and for the liberation of Tibet. It was truly a huge chaotic mess all over Paris. The Paris leg of the Olympic torch relay was actually cut short due to the protests.

According to the BBC:
"Police were forced at least three times to put out the torch and carried it onto a bus, as police cleared protesters from the route....Later, Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoe cancelled a ceremony to welcome the torch relay after Green party activists hung a Tibetan flag and a black banner depicting the Olympic rings as handcuffs from the Hotel de Ville (city hall)."

I was at the Hotel de Ville when I took these photos, but unfortunately missed the hanging of the black banner.

some pictures:




"scorned human rights, oppressed tibetans: welcome to china"


in the foreground: "freedom"

in the background: "paris defends human rights all over the world - the mayor of paris"