Olympic Flame Arrives in Paris
Monday 07 April 2008 from France 24 International News
After scuffles disrupted its tour round London, the Olympic flame arrived in Paris late on Sunday. Torchbearers are set to carry it through the French capital on Monday where campaigners are planning protests over China's human rights record.
The Olympic flame arrived at Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport late on Sunday, an airport official said, ahead of a high-security tour through the French capital where campaigners are planning protests over China's human rights record.
The flame was welcomed China's ambassador to France, M. Kong Quan and former athlete Guy Drut, according to the airport official.
The flame was to be transported by a convoy of 40 motorcycles to a hotel in the city that has been surrounded by police.
On Monday, police plan to secure a perimeter of some 200 metres (yards) around the torch as it is carried in relay by 80 runners on a 28-kilometre (18-mile) route through Paris from the Eiffel Tower to a stadium in the south of the capital.
The torchbearers will be protected by a cordon of 65 motorcycle police, 100 firemen, another 100 police on roller blades and nearly 50 vehicles with more than 200 riot police.
On Sunday, the torch made a chaotic trip through London, where police battled to keep pro-Tibet protesters away from the flame and made 37 arrests.
After scuffles disrupted its tour round London, the Olympic flame arrived in Paris late on Sunday. Torchbearers are set to carry it through the French capital on Monday where campaigners are planning protests over China's human rights record.
The Olympic flame arrived at Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport late on Sunday, an airport official said, ahead of a high-security tour through the French capital where campaigners are planning protests over China's human rights record.
The flame was welcomed China's ambassador to France, M. Kong Quan and former athlete Guy Drut, according to the airport official.
The flame was to be transported by a convoy of 40 motorcycles to a hotel in the city that has been surrounded by police.
On Monday, police plan to secure a perimeter of some 200 metres (yards) around the torch as it is carried in relay by 80 runners on a 28-kilometre (18-mile) route through Paris from the Eiffel Tower to a stadium in the south of the capital.
The torchbearers will be protected by a cordon of 65 motorcycle police, 100 firemen, another 100 police on roller blades and nearly 50 vehicles with more than 200 riot police.
On Sunday, the torch made a chaotic trip through London, where police battled to keep pro-Tibet protesters away from the flame and made 37 arrests.
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