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 OZschwitz: Heat rises for torch relay

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RR Phantom

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OZschwitz: Heat rises for torch relay Vide
PostSubject: OZschwitz: Heat rises for torch relay   OZschwitz: Heat rises for torch relay Icon_minitimeThu Apr 24, 2008 5:06 am

OZschwitz: Heat rises for torch relay 24torch470

Organisers of the Australian leg of the Beijing Games torch relay have hailed the event "a raging success" despite at least seven arrests and numerous clashes between protesters.

The fervour of pro and anti-Chinese demonstrators escalated as the 16-kilometre torch relay neared the finish point, with Chinese and Tibetan groups gathering on opposite sides of the Commonwealth Bridge.

Amid pushing and shoving between the groups, Chinese supporters struck pro-Tibet demonstrators with flags, witnesses said.

ACT police said seven people were arrested during the relay and would soon be charged with offences relating to the "major events security act''.

Five were pro-China protesters, two were pro-Tibet, police said.

A "relieved but elated'' ACT government spokesman Jeremy Lasek said despite the arrests, the relay had been a "raging success''.

The fact there were so few arrests among more than 20,000 people, with tensions sometimes running high, was a great result, he said.

"The most important thing is the flame was never in danger, from start to finish, and that's an enormous credit to our federal police,'' Mr Lasek told Sky News.

Olympian and swimmer Matt Welsh said later the relay was "a lot smoother than it could have been''.

"It's a big carnival ... I don't think we could have asked for anything better,'' he told Sky News.

Former marathon runner Rob de Castella said the organisation, security and logistics of today's relay run had been first rate.

He said the torch had drawn a lot of very passionate people to Canberra, but he urged people to remember the symbolic significance of the Olympic flame.

"While it's caused a few problems, we need these things more so than ever before,'' he told Sky.

LNK
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