Protesters force cancellation of Olympic torch relay in Paris

Paris: Chinese officials called off a chaotic relay of the Olympic torch through Paris yesterday after thousands of pro-Tibet protesters tried to block its path and the flame had to be extinguished at least twice.

Police said the Chinese authorities organising the five-hour passage of the torch had decided to give up the road relay after demonstrators protesting against Beijing's crackdown on Tibet constantly snarled its progress and forced lengthy delays.

The torch relay hit trouble almost as soon as it set off from the Eiffel Tower, and regularly ground to halt when protesters threatened to break through the imposing security cordon thrown around the athletes carrying the flame.

Chinese flags waved

"Boycott Chinese goods" and "Save Tibet" read some of the banners held aloft by demonstrators. Other people came to support Beijing and waved Chinese flags above the crowds.

More than four hours after setting out on its 28-km trip, officials finally decided to put the flame on a bus and sped down to the final leg of the relay - a stadium in Paris that houses the French Olympic Committee.

Crowds of protesters jeered at the throngs of riot police called up to protect the cortege.

"We are doing our best but it will take the world to put pressure on China to help bring democracy and human rights to Tibet," said Phurbu Dolker, a 21-year-old Tibetan refugee.

Mayor Bernard Delanoe told reporters the Chinese had cancelled a planned reception for the torch at Paris city hall at the last minute after a banner supporting human rights was hung from the building's facade.

"The Chinese officials decided they would not stop here because they were put out by Parisian citizens expressing their support for human rights. It is their responsibility," Delanoe said.

Earlier police and officials said the Olympic torch had been extinguished at least twice because of technical problems or for safety reasons. On one occasion, it was put out despite the fact that protesters appeared to be well away from the relay team, which was flanked by police on rollerblades.

"Security Fiasco," France 24 television said in a banner headline running on the bottom of its screen.

At least 23 people were briefly detained by police for trying to disturb the relay, a spokesman for the Free Tibet movement said. Television showed one protester lying in the road, his face smeared with blood: "Free Tibet" he shouted.

A member of the French Greens party had earlier been restrained by police when trying to grab the torch from the first of 80 torch bearers, former world 400 metres hurdles champion Stephane Diagana. The flame is due to return to Beijing on August 6, two days before it will be used to light the cauldron at the Olympic opening ceremony.