The group Reporters Without Borders isn't letting China off the hook for human rights violations.
(PARIS, France) - Hundreds of demonstrators gathered at the Eiffel Tower for the passing of the Olympic Torch say the world will be aware of China's military crackdown in Tibet. The protesters were able to put the torch out as it made its way through the French capitol.
The demonstrators say it is ridiculous to allow Beijing to pretend it is a fair and open nation as the Communist driven Asian giant cracks down on peaceful protesters in both Tibet and in the Muslim province of Xinjiang, where residents voiced support of the Dali Lama and Tibet.
Today on the Trocadero esplanade, across the Seine river, more than 3,000 French Police mobilized, many on roller skates, to deal with the angry and sometimes violent crowd.
They were deployed over a 28-kilometre procession. It is reported that fights started between riot police and demonstrators and several people were arrested.
As far as the report of the flame being temporarily put out during the procession, "for technical reasons" according to officials, it was placed inside a police bus from where it continued its journey. Demonstrators say they fully extinguished the passing flame.
The calls for the action today came from a number of protesters allied with the French NGO "Reporters Without Borders" which has openly called for the boycott of the Games' opening ceremony. The relay that passed through London was marked by similar protests over the weekend.
Reporters Without Borders says they are appalled by the sentence of three and a half years in prison that a Beijing court passed in April on leading activist Hu Jia for "inciting subversion of state power." The organization expresses its support for his wife, Zeng Jinyan, who is under house arrest with her four-month-old-daughter, his lawyers and all those who showed solidarity with him despite the threats from Chinese state security.
"The Chinese justice system has, at the behest of the authorities, thrown oil on the flames just four months ahead of the Olympic Games by imposing this sentence of Hu Jia, a figurehead of the peaceful struggle to improve respect for human rights in China," Reporters Without Borders said.
"In jailing this resolute individual, the government is silencing a spokesman for the victims of repression, one who would have had the courage to talk to the thousands of foreign journalists coming to Beijing to cover the Olympics. The list of Olympic Games prisoners is getting longer while the International Olympic Committee remains desperately silent."
And the demonstrators say there is more to come, hoping to bring China's role as a human rights violator in the world into view for more people.
The Olympic flame is due to travel on through San Francisco next, and officials expect see the torch remain the focus of human rights demonstrators bringing attention to the situation in Tibet and in China.
Protesters in France Douse Olympic Torch in Support of TibetSalem-News.com