Olympic flame temporarily put out during China relay
Posted: 18 May 2008 1538 hrs

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BEIJING: The Olympic torch, which had been passing through China with little trouble after protests at several relay stops abroad, had to be put out due to an over-enthusiastic crowd, state press said on Sunday.

In the eastern city of Wenzhou on Saturday, crowds broke through security cordons on both sides of the street during the torch relay and crammed into the middle of the road, the Beijing Youth Daily said.

The flame was temporarily extinguished and the torchbearer stopped due to safety considerations, shortening the relay, the newspaper reported.

Few such incidents were reported on the torch relay route in China, which has been closely controlled to avoid a repeat of protests that marred the international leg of the torch's journey to Beijing.

Pro-Tibet demonstrators disrupted the relay in London, Paris and San Francisco to protest against China's crackdown on unrest in the Himalayan region, which broke out in mid-March and had spread to neighbouring regions.

The torch was put out several times in the chaotic relay through Paris. It was also extinguished once briefly in the southern Chinese boomtown of Shenzhen, reports said.

The state-run Beijing Youth Daily was quick to reprimand the unruly crowd in Wenzhou, in a clear order to people in other cities and provinces to stay calm when welcoming the torch.

"We hope that crowds along the relay route will be able to respect public order and uphold the smooth running of the relay when they enthusiastically come to watch the flame. More disappointments must not happen," the paper said.

China has hoped that the Olympics would symbolise the country's rise on the global stage.


- AFP/so