by Maja Gojkovic

Thousands of protesters caused havoc at the Olympic relay into yesterday in London by targeting the celebrity torch bearers.

 35 activists were arrested in clashes after breaking through police and security cordons along the route and mobbing celebritites carrying torches.

Celebrities such as TV’s Konnie Huq were set upon by Free Tibet campaigners who tried to rip the torch from her hands.

Other Celebrities such as Olympic champ Denise Lewis was charged upon by several activists while Sir Clive Woodward had his path blocked a mob.

Cricketer Kevin Pietersen had to be ushered away when campaigners threatened to swamp him. At one point, organisers were so worried that they commandeered a red London bus to get the torch away from persistent protests along Fleet Street.

TV’ s Konnie, 32, was shaken after her attacker was bundled to the ground by police, said last night: “It was quite frightening.”I was completely oblivious at first and then, before I knew what was happening, this guy was lurching towards me and was grabbing the torch out of my hand and I was determinedly clinging on. “I nearly lost my footing in the scramble but I kept going.”

Thousands of people had turned out in the snowy London to voice their anger at China’s human rights record and actions in Tibet ahead of this summer’s Beijing Olympics. More than 2,000 police officers battled to protect celebs and the 80 torch bearers during the 10-hour relay – which is suposed to be a journey that represents harmony and peace. 

Critics accused the police of heavy-handedness. Stephen Green, director of Christian Voice, said: “They were grossly over the top and certainly not in line with our British values of free speech and the right to protest.” He went on: “The police shouldn’t be used as a free security service in the first place and then to see them wrestling protesters to the ground is simply unacceptable.”

But Met Police Commander Jo Kaye hit back and responded to this by saying: “People cannot just come in and cause havoc and the officers have stopped them. They know quite well that they shouldn’t be trying to get in at the torch and they’ve been stopped.”

The campaigners caused such comotion that before the flame had even left its starting point at Wembley Stadium three arrests were made. Throughout the procession there was endless booing and hissing, the celebrities such as Denise Van Outen, Paula Radcliffe, Arsenal’s Theo Walcott and the Sugababes were interrupted along the entire route.

Five-time Olympic rowing champ Sir Steve Redgrave said it was cheap to use athletes as scapegoats for China’s human rights abuses. The olympic rowing champ started the 31-mile relay, said: “There’s nobody pulling out financially from trading with China so why should sportspeople be made scapegoats towards these issues?”

Shortly after Konnie was targeted by a campaigner a man in a yellow jacket appeared from the side of a crowd and let off a fire extinguisher. He was forced to the ground as the air filled with white smoke.

In Trafalgar Square, as Sir Trevor Macdonald held the flame aloft, large numbers of protesters clashed with police in the most violent scenes.

More than a thousand protestors gathered opposite Downing Street holding a sea of flags and banners chanted calling for a free Tibet.

Gordon Brown greeted the torch behind closed steel gates in front of a crowd as protesters continued to scuffle with police outside and Beijing supporters waved flags and banged drums.

Chinese ambassador Fu Ying was expected to carry the torch near the Chinese Embassy in Bloomsbury Square. Those plans had to be changed amid security fears.

Two protesters were taken away by police after attempting to put out the torch with fire extinguishers. Martin Wyness and Ashley Darby said in a statement: “We feel China has no right parading the Olympic torch through London.”

Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell said it would have been a mistake to cancel the relay. But Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg claimed it was inappropriate for Mr Brown to greet the torch – and called on him to stay away from Beijing unless China changed its ways.

Dame Kelly Holmes brought the relay to a peaceful close by lighting the Olympic cauldron at the O2 Arena in South East London.

by Maja Gojkovic 

The olympic torch has been re-lit at a special ceremony in Beijing after arriving from Athens.The Chinese President Hu Jintao opened the special ceremony which took place in Tiananmen Square in order welcome the torch to the city, which will host the 2008 Olympics in August.

Throughout the event tight security was visible at the square, amid concerns of a possible anti-government protests due to last weeks protesters who opposed China’s actions in Tibet. The Protesters clashed with police at the lighting ceremony in Greece. Secutrity was also tight in the centre of the city with the closure of the underground station Tiananmen Square and the closure of the square to all veichles.

Hundreds of people, many including schoolchildren turned out at Beijing airport, waving flags as the Air China plane arrived and the torch was revealed. Students and workers sang the Olympic slogan “One World, One Dream” and waved pom-poms.

Sunday’s formal handover was held in the Panathinaiko Stadium in Athens, where the first modern Olympics took place in 1896.

The Chinese and Greek flags were marched in by Greek athletes to the strains of a band, before a circle of white-clad actresses dressed as ancient priestesses surrounded a podium as the torch was brought in. Minos Kyriakou, president of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, passed the flame to chief Beijing organizer Liu Qi.

Protesters tried to unfurl a banner which said “Stop genocide in Tibet”, but failed to enter the stadium or disrupt the solemn ceremony. At least six people were arrested and Police warned they would confiscate all banners, signs or objects that might be thrown.

On Tuesday, the torch goes to Almaty in Kazakhstan, its next stop on a tour of 20 countries before returning for the opening of the Beijing games on 8 August.