Members of the Tibetan Community in Britain and Free Tibet Campaign staged a protest to oppose Beijing hosting the 2008 Games as the Olympic flame reached London.
The Olympic flame arrival in London coincides with the UN’s International Day for Victims Against Torture. “Sadly, those ideals are not recognised by the Chinese regime as it continues to crackdown on human rights in Tibet and even defend the massacre in Tiananmen Square in June 1989. Foreign media reported arrests and detentions in advance of that anniversary”, said Free Tibet Campaign.
A large Tibetan flag was unveiled with Free Tibet printed at the bottom over London’s Southwark bridge. London police soon arrived at the bridge and ordered the flag’s withdrawal since no permission had been sought.
However, as the Olympic flame passed nearby the bridge, members of the Free Tibet Campaign unveiled a large banner – No Olympic for China until Tibet. Members of the Tibetan community waved Tibetan flags in the background.