Italian police prevent pro-Palestinian activists disrupting torch relay
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Police in Italy successfully caught and prevented pro-Palestinian activists from interfering with a sacred Olympic tradition on Saturday.
Pro-Palestinian activists were prevented from contact with the opening stages of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics torch relay, Italian police said.
According to police, both groups of protesters were driven away before reaching the bypass in Rome.
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The Olympic flame is lit in Greece. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
A third group of about 10 people, watched by police, waved Palestinian flags as the relay passed in front of the city’s largest university, La Sapienza.
There were also three people near the American embassy carrying signs supporting Venezuela.
In October, more than two million demonstrators marched in more than 100 Italian cities to protest the war in Gaza.
Olympic champion swimmer Gregorio Paltrinieri started the relay at the statue-lined Stadio dei Marmi, and the torch was carried for 20 miles before ending the day in Piazza del Popolo.
The relay will cover approximately 7,500 miles and pass through all 110 Italian provinces before reaching Milan’s San Siro Stadium for the opening ceremony on February 6.
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Short track speed skater Jean-Francois Monette lights the Olympic flame at the Montreal Olympic Stadium during the Olympic torch relay on December 9, 2009. (AP Photo/Canadian Press, Paul Chiasson)
There will be 10,001 torch bearers in total.
The next stops of the torch relay will be Viterbo on Sunday and Terni on Monday.
Over the past year, pro-Palestinian protesters causing disruption to sporting events, especially those involving Israeli teams, have become increasingly frequent.
Several people were arrested at a football match last month. United Kingdom It included Israeli team Maccabi Tel Aviv. The team’s Israeli fans were banned from attending the match due to security concerns, but although there were anti-Israeli protesters in the vicinity, disturbances still continued.
Many people were detained at the football match United Kingdom It included Israeli team Maccabi Tel Aviv. The team’s Israeli fans were banned from attending the match due to security concerns, but although there were anti-Israeli protesters in the vicinity, disturbances still continued.
An Israeli cycling team was excluded from the Giro dell’Emilia race in Italy in October over concerns about possible disruptions. Pro-Palestinian protests Organizers made this decision after protesters repeatedly disrupted the Vuelta a España.
Seven of the last 11 days of racing at the Vuelta were abandoned or disrupted as the Spanish government estimated more than 100,000 people were on the streets in Madrid during the final stage in September.
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Protesters said their actions were aimed at condemning Israel’s military action in Gaza following Hamas’ deadly attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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