Olympic Torch Extinguished

CNN.com is reporting today that the Olympic Torch has been extinguished during the Paris leg of it's around-the-world relay, as protestors lined the streets to demonstrate against the Chinese Government's recent actions in Tibet.

According to the story, the Torch was extinguished and relit three times before along the route. The first time protestors near the River Seine forced Olympic officials to put out the flame, and then board a bus. Later, an athlete in a wheelchair was forced to douse the flame when demonstrators shouted at her along the route. The third and final incident came when officials saw the flame approaching a bridge where protestors were waiting for it's arrival.

Back-up flames accompany the Torch on it's ritual relay, and the word is that the relay has once again resumed and was back on schedule. Todays demonstrations follow an equally challenging leg through London yesterday. The article notes that it is difficult to know for sure how many protestors were along the route, but their numbers were in the thousands. Some of those are believed to be Chinese supporters of the Olympics however.

While I don't believe in violence for change, I am glad that there will now be more news on the oppression of Tibet. Hopefully, the country will truly be a free country in my lifetime.