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2008 Beijing Olympic Games
Chinese protesters extinguish Olympic torch in protest?Posted by Adam J. Schokora, May 8, 2008 6:08 PM
As reported by Asia Sentinel, the Olympic torch has apparently been extinguished by local Chinese protesters while making the rounds in Shenzhen earlier today. Despite efforts to find local sources collaborating details of the story, nothing has turned up on the Chinese Internet. Pictures, video, and text all seem to have been effectively harmonized. Asia Sentinel has told Danwei it has and is preparing video footage of the incident for release.
UPDATE 2: UPDATE 3: Links and Sources
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Comments on Chinese protesters extinguish Olympic torch in protest?
I thought the flame was on the summit of Everest - or is there more than one doing the rounds?
protesters? I didn't see any.
Today ,the fact is ;8000 000 shenzhen local people celebrate and welcome the torch .The truth is ; there is
the website you click everyone can see the alive in China
Adam, I know only "protesters" can fit into your predetermined narrative about the Beijing Olympics. Unfortunately, that was not the case in Shenzhen. The torch was disturbed not by protesters, but by too many supporters who could not keep a good order.
By the way, I would like to provide you with an excellent example of censorship. The pope's good wish to the Beijing Olympics was censored by the Reuters, the Associated Press, and the New York Times in their reports of the performance of a Chinese orchestra in Vatican yesterday. On the contrast, BBC did not censor the pope's good wish, while the AFP made it a title of its report on the same event.
Mick,
The torch on Everest is a separate one from the main torch that's been on relay in Guangdong now.
Jeremy,
Considering that your website is quite influential among many people, I thought it would be prudent for you to report on things only after they have been confirmed. Otherwise you may be instrumental in spreading rumors. You are, after all, not a journalist under time pressure to publish certain articles by a certain deadline.
It seems to be over-exciting people, not protester against torch relay.
Anyway, the 'harmonization' of pictures is stupid.
This is Spelunker reporting live from Guangzhou. I witnessed the torch relay twice in Guangzhou (Zhongshan Memorial Hall and Beijing Pedestrian Street) and saw local TV coverage of the Shenzhen relay.
Allow me to present the facts:
1. No foreign media are allowed to accompany the torch route in China, as only local Chinese press are allowed in the media vehicles that travel along the torch relay route.
2. The Olympic flame was extinguished 4 times in Guangzhou, and the torch route was changed twice due to overcrowding conditions. The live TV broadcast did briefly show torch bearer #197 as his torch went out, but there was no live broadcast of the torch when similar problems developed elsewhere along the route because TV broadcasts cut away to commentary by studio folks.
3. Local daily newspapers provided adequate explanations on May 8 for the 4 torch extinguishments and 2 minor route detours in Guangzhou.
4. There were no protests of any kind in Guangzhou.
I really doubt the Shenzhen torch extinguishments were due to any type of local protest, instead it is more likely due to overcrowding as was the actual case in Guangzhou.
The police perimeter was changed in front of Zhongshan Memorial Hall. This occured just an hour before the torch relay was due and upset local residents who waited for 4 or 5 hours at this prime viewing location. There was a brief scuffle between police and some feisty elderly Chinese who refused to move, but I did not stay to see the end result of that battle.
At Beijing Pedestrian Street I was able to enjoy a pleasant tug-of-war between police and an enthusiastic crowd that tightly sandwiched the narrow Olympic thoroughfare. This was definitely one of the best venues for getting a close-up view of the torch relay if you don't mind being a sardine for several minutes. I held up a big sign with 4 Chinese characters "You Er Ge Ge" as the torch relay runner and torch attendant brothers jogged by. Many photographers took pictures of me and my sign (I wore my "Lei Feng" T-shirt as well) but I haven't seen myself on TV, in newspapers or on the Internet yet.
Cheers from Guangzhou!
Spelunker
What's "You Er Ge Ge"?
lost in your sign
FYI, it's 右二哥哥
It's the allegedly drop-dead gorgeous Torch guard, the second (Er) brother (Ge Ge) on the right (You).
Guangzhou police officers were also confused by my sign, as they had to listen to a funny foreigner explain 右二哥哥 to them as well.
It seems to be strictly an Internet phenomena, as the term did not appear to be well known among those I encountered on the streets of Guangzhou and Hong Kong. (I also attended the torch relay in Wanchai on May 2 and held up the same sign.)