SUGGESTATION

Given the farce that was the Olympic torch handover in England yesterday, it should come as no surprise that protestors have been lining up in France for the past few hours, in preparation for the next leg of the relay.

The ridiculous spectacle of the Olympic torch surrounded by a horde of police officers and tracksuited heavies being shepherded through an angry mob was punctuated by Konnie Huq’s statement that it was wonderful that people were allowed to protest here.

Update:
Ok so… Apparently officials have put out the olympic flame themselves and put the torch on a bus. Er… That ain’t supposed to happen is it?

Update 2:
Flame was relit. And put out again…

You know, I’m so glad that today’s leg of the torch relay hasn’t descended into yesterday’s comedy show.

Update 3:
Another day, another debacle. Much has been made of the olympic ’spirit’ that the torch is supposed to convey - a spirit that is called upon when condemning attempts to protest, but conveniently forgotten when we remember who is hosting the Olympics. Perhaps it is fitting that like this spirit, the torch itself has been extinguished, twice, when it became too much trouble to get it through the crowds.

Before today, I hadn’t noticed that the torch relay has an official website. Unsurprisingly, it condemns attempts to extinguish the torch by protesters in England on sunday. I wonder what it will say about today’s protests - and the inevitable protests to follow in later legs of the relay.