Fu Ying [傅莹], the Chinese Ambassador to the UK, is to pull out of the Olympic torch relay on Sunday. She had been due to carry the torch on part of its relay through London on Sunday. It is believed she was dropped from the relay to avoid her being the target of protesters. However, the Chinese Embassy said the ambassador has been asked to spend the day with the official Beijing delegation at a hotel.
Hundreds of demonstrators are believed to be planning anti-China protests during the event and there has been pressure on torch bearers to pull out of the relay. Tim Henman, Kelly Holmes and Kevin Pietersen will be among the 80 torch bearers named on Thursday and it will be carried 50 km (31 miles) through 10 London boroughs [BBC]. The prospect of mass demonstrations have prompted the Metropolitan Police to mount a massive security operation [This Is London].
Meanwhile the Olympic torch arrived in Turkey on Thursday. The plane carrying the flame touched down in Istanbul. Its next stop is St Peterberg after which it will head to London.
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