Olympic torch relay continues in Paris,one hour behind schedule

PARIS, April 7 (Xinhua) -- The ongoing Olympic torch relay in Paris was at least one hour behind schedule on Monday due to disruptions by protesters who supported Tibetan separatism.

The torch relay resumed on ground at around 2 p.m. (1200 GMT) after the torch was put onto a bus three times 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 attempted to snatch the torch from former world 400 meters hurdles champion Stephane Diagana, the first torchbearer, but was stopped by policemen.

French TV footage showed that police had clashed with protesters several times. At least five protesters were detained for blocking the Beijing Olympic torch relay in the French capital, the AFP news agency reported.

Around 3,000 French policemen have been deployed along the 28 km- journey of the Olympic flame in Paris, which started shortly after midday and is expected to conclude at 5 p.m. (1500 GMT) at Stade Charlety.

Henri Serandour, head of the French Olympic Committee on Monday criticized the protests as "highly regrettable."

"I think that people should have let this flame through, that they could have held their protests to one side," he said.

"Everyone has a right to express themselves but to stop it passing shows a lack of respect for the basic freedom of our athletes to carry this flame, which is a message of peace to the whole world," the chief said.

Another member of the 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.

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 is 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.

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 technical and safety reasons, the relay team had to extinguish the flame three times and put the torch onto the bus before the relay was resumed towards the south of Paris.

On Sunday, he 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 resentment of the peace-loving people, and is bound to fail, he said.

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

The 2008 Olympic flame was ignited on March 24 in Ancient Olympia of Greece and was handed over to Beijing on March 31 after a six-day relay in Greece.

The 130-day torch relay will cover 137,000 km before the flame returns to Beijing and enters the National Stadium on Aug. 8 for the Olympics' opening ceremony.

A total of 21,880 torch bearers will be participating in the unprecedented relay, which is held under the theme of "Journey of Harmony."