FED: London protests fuel fears of similar action in Australia

AAP General News (Australia)
04-07-2008
FED: London protests fuel fears of similar action in Australia

CANBERRA, April 7 AAP - Running battles between protesters and British police in London
have fuelled concerns of similar action during the Australian leg of the Olympic torch
relay.

Organisers fears the protests in London will motivate similar action in Canberra when
the Olympic flame passes through the capital city on April 24.

British police battled to keep pro-Tibet demonstrators away from the Beijing Olympics
flame as it passed through London today, arresting 35 protesters who tried to disrupt
the high-security tour.

There were continual scuffles along the route as each member of the relay team of renowned
British athletes, pop stars and television personalities handed over the flame to the
next runner.

Two demonstrators against China's crackdown in Tibet were arrested as they attempted
to extinguish the torch and a third was pushed to the ground as he tried to seize the
flame from a British television presenter taking part in the relay.

It is estimated that more than 1,000 demonstrators turned out.

The Canberra relay task force chairman, Ted Quinlan, says he fears the protests seen
in London could spark a "rolling and growing movement" where demonstrators seek to outdo
each other in terms of catching the limelight.

"My concern is that by the time it gets here, there have been a whole series of protests
and that's really all everybody is expecting for the day," he told ABC Radio.

Mr Quinlan said he hoped the action in London would turn out to be atypical and that
the Canberra leg instead promoted the positive side of the Olympic spirit.

Local authorities would remain on guard for the possibility of similar demonstrations.

"We certainly want to push the positive side but we've got to be ever conscious of
the security considerations of this and we have been," Mr Quinlan said.

"Of course, we're observing what's happening world-wide day by day and making appropriate plans."

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KEYWORD: OLY08 FLAME AUST

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