07 April 2008
Paris Olympic torch relay cut short
The Paris leg of the Beijing Olympic torch relay was disrupted by large groups of people protesting China's policies in Tibet. A Green Party MP attempted to seize the torch directly at the start of the relay on the first floor of the Eifel Tower. A planned reception for the torch at the Paris city hall was cancelled, allegedly on request of the Chinese organisers of the rally. The relay was cut short and the torch was put on a bus outside the French parliament to be carried on the final stretch of its trip to a stadium in the south of the city. The flame was extinguished at least twice during the relay and had to take refuge on the bus.