Paris protesters 'attacked' disabled torch bearer

Police protect a disabled torch bearer in Paris

As the Olympic torch arrived in the US the IOC met to discuss issues surrounding the relay. No firm decisions were made with regards the current journey but future Olympic torch runs were called into question after recent protests in London and Paris descended into violence. It emerged today that during the relay a young Chinese torch bearer in a wheelchair was targeted by pro-Tibetan protesters. Several people lunged from the crowd and made an attempt to grab the torch but were thwarted by swift actions of the CRS. One protester was knocked unconscious as he attempted to breach the cordon of police vehicles and was struck by one of them. As police grappled with the protesters Jin Jing, 27, an athlete and fencer, was pushed along the street by two colleagues, one of who is blind. The much talked about ‘flame attendants’ were no-where to be seen as Jin held the torch close to her chest looking frightened. She later told reporters she was very upset and angry over the incident. The incident though widely reported in internet forums and on Chinese news websites has had little airplay either on the radio or television broadcasts in the UK. Across Europe the events of the Paris violence made many front pages, but only on paper from Estonia led with this particular incident. Meanwhile the Chinese Foreign Ministry condemned the disruptions of the torch relay in London and Paris as an assault on the Olympic spirit.
[China.org / video: LiveLeak]