Does anyone know of any organised PEACEFUL protests for the upcoming olympic torch relay in Canberra?

ie. not aimed at stopping the torch or interfering with the event, but just wanting to make a peaceful statement on the day in support of human rights.

The peaceful protest plan is for people to wear red, and turn their backs on the torch relay as it goes past.

But now that there will be so much security around the torch relay, noone seems to know what the actual route will be.

Can I wear red and still encourage my DD to watch/cheer ??

Steph

I used to cycle past the Chinese embassy every day and there were the Falun Gong/Daffa etc (don't know exactly) people sitting opposite doing their thing. They were very peaceful and meditative and they were making their point in their own way. Don't know if it has made any difference though. In regard to the relay, I expect there will be a mass of security presence.

ok call me crazy but in my house we don't watch the news what is going on with the protesting?

in UK, protesters tried to grab torch and put it out using fire extinguisher. in france, relay had to be continued on back of bus due to protesters. in us, the route was cut in half and changed at last minute. The police presence was over the top and ppl who had lined up all day to see the torch couldn't see it for the swarm of police or the 6 foot high fences and those at the end stage were disappointed when it was stopped before that despite the fact they were waiting all day. In South America, the only thing was apparently water bombs were thrown at torch. Haven't been at work to watch news all day and see it over and over again.

I won't be taking the kids to see it. Fully supportive of Tibet, love Olympics and saw Sydney 2000 torch relay but there is no guarantee same thing won't happen here. Thousands of protesters expected. Organisers trying for peaceful protest but "can't promise if they are not allowed near torch"? And there will always be the ring ins = those not necessarily there for the protest but to cause trouble.

Yes the 'harmony torch relay' or whatever they were calling it has become a joke.

In France they had the runners' surrounded with police on roller scates and mobs of Chinese secret service in tracksuits. And they still had to stop the relay due to so many protesters.

In the US there was so much security around the torch it looked more like some kind of highly dangerous prisoner was allowed out for a jog with a huge escort of police joggers and cars and motorbikes etc. The runners kept having to stop when they caught up to the security vehicle one foot in front of them. And there were almost no supporters cos the didn't tell anyone where the torch would be.

In Canberra there doesn't seem to be much interest in protesting, but this is the only opportunity in Australia, so busloads of serious protesters may come down from Sydney etc. Who knows.

Just for you Loving Mother. Beware - May be offensive.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPSbVPILEj8&feature=related

Another Link to links regarding the killing in Tibet - which is why there are protesters - http://searchresults.news.com.au/servlet/Search

Sorry, but I'm so sick to death about hearing about the Olympic Torch relay.

Was talking to my FIL last night about this same subject and he actually said the first torch relay was held when the Olympics were in Germany in 1936, and that it was actually Adolf Hitler who had originally suggested it!!!

Hence, do we really want anyone to participate in what was originally designed as Nazi propaganda anyway???

I certainly won't be bothering to go watch it at all.

Karen

thnaks hannah i feel so silly that i did not know about it all but thanks for filling me in girls.

Im with you Lovingmother, I had no idea why people were protesting, all i watch here is Hairspray, High School Musical or High School Musical 2, when the kids were at school i was working.
But after researching i can understand why people are protesting- They should be ashamed calling it the Harmony Torch Relay.

I am surprised China was selected for other reasons (amongst the many others). The air quality is so poor that many of the athletes may suffer health problems

Michelle&Girls same here but it's the wiggles and play school or i'm working and i do think it sucks that China was selected and what is funny is that when it was here in 2000 there where no big fences all all that when the torch was here but now we have to have big a$$ one's.