Special report:   2008 Olympic Games

Spectators of the Beijing Olympic torch relay were greatly annoyed and angered by Tibetan separatists and their supporters attempting to disrupt the Monday event in Paris, the fifth leg of the flame's global tour.(Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    PARIS, April 7 (Xinhua) -- Spectators of the Beijing Olympic torch relay were greatly annoyed and angered by Tibetan separatists and their supporters attempting to disrupt the Monday event in Paris, the fifth leg of the flame's global tour.

    "We've come here only to watch the torch relay," said a Paris student, who only gave his first name as Mark.

    "What in the world does this have anything to do with us except for annoying us?" he added, pointing to Tibetan separatist demonstrators.

    Liu Zijun, a Chinese student studying in Paris told Xinhua that the Beijing Olympic Games are a big event for China, she and her friends were very angry about the protests around the relay of the sacred fire.

    "A majority of the French people are friendly towards China, but they have no knowledge about what really happened in Tibet and have been misled by some Western media's distorted reports," Liu said, adding those media have played a "very bad role" in the matter.

    Tens of thousands of spectators went to the street of Paris to watch the torch relay, which covers 28 kilometers starting the Eiffel Tower and ending at the Stade (Stadium) Charlety in the south of the city.

    Many on-lookers waved Chinese flags to cheer the event or put flag stickers on the face.

    One of them told Xinhua that some of the flags were hand-made by themselves or posted by their friends in China.

    The torch relay resumed on ground at around 2 p.m. (1200 GMT) on Monday after the torch was twice put onto bus earlier for technical reasons, a Xinhua photographer following the torch relay witnessed.

    The torch was first put on a bus shortly after its start from the starting point, the Eiffel Tower, and the second time was around 1: 30 p.m. (1130 GMT).

    Earlier, a member from the French Greens Party had attempted to snatch the torch from former world 400 meters hurdles champion Stephane Diagana, the first torchbearer, but was stopped by police.

    Around 3,000 French policemen have been deployed to protect the28-km Olympic torch relay in Paris, which started shortly after midday and is expected to conclude at 5 p.m. (1500 GMT) at Stade Charlety in the south of Paris.

    Spokesman of the torch relay center of the Beijing Olympic Organization Committee Qu Yingpu said that the torch relay started in Paris smoothly, but has encountered protests during the process. Due to safety reasons, the relay team had to extinguish the flame twice and put the torch onto the bus before the relay was resumed towards the south of Paris.

    Police have arrested at least five protesters who tried to interrupt the torch relay.

    A member of French Olympic Committee said here Monday that the Olympic torch relay should not be affected in any way.

    "The Olympic sacred fire is a symbol of peace, tolerance... and should not be affected by anybody in any way," Guy Drut told France 3 television.

    On Sunday, a spokesman from the torch relay center of the Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee said that as the highest symbol of the Olympic spirit, the Olympic flame represents peace, friendship and progress. Under the authorization of the International Olympic Committee, the Beijing Olympic torch relay is taking its journey of harmony throughout the world, sharing the passion and glory of the Olympics with the world, and has received warm welcome from the people en route.

    However, a few "pro-Tibet independence" activists have attempted to interrupt the torch relay during its journey in grave violation of the Olympic spirit, as the Olympic flame belongs to the world. The act will surely arouse the resentment of the peace-loving people, and is bound to fail, the spokesman said.

    The Beijing Olympic torch relay takes place on Monday in Paris, the fifth leg of its global tour.

Olympic torch relay resumes on ground in Paris after being put on bus twice

    PARIS, April 7 (Xinhua) -- The Beijing Olympic torch relay resumed on ground around 2 p.m. (1200 GMT) on Monday after the torch was twice put onto bus during earlier for technical reasons, a Xinhua photographer following the torch relay witnessed. Full story

French Olympic official says Torch Relay should not be affected

   PARIS, April 7 (Xinhua) -- A member of French Olympic Committee said here Monday that the Olympic Torch Relay should not be affected in any way.

    "The Olympic sacred fire is a symbol of peace, tolerance... and should not be affected by anybody in any way," Guy Drut told France 3 television. Full story

Olympic torch relay starts in Paris

    PARIS, April 7 (Xinhua) -- The Olympic torch relay started in Paris, the fifth leg of its global journey on Monday. 

    The Paris leg relay will follow a 28 kilometers route which begins at Eiffel Tower and ends at Stade Charlety in the south of Paris. Full story

Olympic flame gets to Paris in chilly snow

Two flame guards show the lantern which holds the Olympic flame at the airport in Paris, capital of France, April 6, 2008. Paris is the fifth stop of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games torch relay outside the Chinese mainland.  (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    PARIS, April 6 (Xinhua) -- The Beijing Olympic flame left London and arrived at the Charles De Gaulle airport at 11:40 p.m. of Sunday local time, preparing for its fifth stop of the world journey. Full story