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Skirmishes on Japan leg of Olympic torch relay
The Japan leg of China's Olympic torch relay began on Saturday with thousands of riot police lining the streets, helicopters buzzing the skies and demonstrators rallying in a pro-Tibet prayer vigil. Initial skirmishes among protesters and police failed to disrupt the passing of the torch.
- AP
- Published: 08:48 April 26, 2008
- A man, in beige jacket, is apprehended by police officers as he tries to disrupt the Beijing Olympic torch relay through the streets of the central Japanese city of Nagano.
- Image Credit: AP
Nagano: The Japan leg of China's Olympic torch relay began on Saturday with thousands of riot police lining the streets, helicopters buzzing the skies and demonstrators rallying in a pro-Tibet prayer vigil. Initial skirmishes among protesters and police failed to disrupt the passing of the torch.
Police guards surrounded the first runner, the manager of Japan's national baseball team, and another 100 uniformed riot police jogged alongside six patrol cars and two police lead motorcycles.
At one point later in the relay a man tried to charge the torch, but was quickly pounced on by police.
The starting point, a last-minute substitution after a famous Buddhist temple pulled out, was closed to the public, as were all rest stops along the way.
Japanese officials said the security was unavoidable, and called for calm. But the high-profile police presence has dissipated any festive mood in Nagano, which hosted the 1998 Winter Games.
One person was hurt in a scuffle between Chinese and pro-Tibetan supporters, and a self-proclaimed monk carrying a knife was arrested hours before the relay began.
National broadcaster NHK reported some kind of smoke-emitting tube was thrown at the relay, but there were no injuries or damage.
The relay, making its 16th international stop, has been disrupted by protests or conducted under extremely heavy security since it left Greece.
The protests are largely in response to China's crackdown last month on protests in Tibet and concerns over human rights issues in China.
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