Olympic flame target of more protests

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Amidst tight security and accusations by journalists of state sanctioned censorship the Olympic flame reached Thessaloniki, the Greece’s second city.

However, the controversy and protests that dogged the flame’s lighting ceremony in Olympia were repeated when police detained and arrested demonstrators last night attempting to approach Aristotelous square, the flames eventual destination.

See here for video from Skai Channel

In the presence of hundreds of police, including units of the MAT riot squad the flame, carried by ex - basketball star, Nikos Galis was welcomed by the mayor of Thessaloniki, Vasilis Papageorgopoulos and Chinese representatives of the IOC.

The handling of the events in Olympia in which French representatives of Reporters Without Borders by Greece’s state run channels has continued to arouse strong reactions amongst local journalists . Attempts by Greek state - run media to first, ignore then down play down the attempts by demonstrators to disrupt the ceremony have led to accusations of censorship and collusion with an authoritarian regime by a group of thirty Greek journalists including Hlias Kannelis and Rihardos Someritis who signed a petition (see here for full text in Greek) condemning the Government run NET channel's handling of the affair.

There was no mention of the protests in Thessaloniki nor Olympia was made by the Chinese Station, CCTV, which is covering the Olympic torch's progress through Greece CCTV website. Nor was there any mention on the the Greek government run ERT channel news site as of 12 midday today.

Once again, amongst heavy security which saw police outnumber onlookers in Aristotelous Square the flame continued its controversial journey this morning when mayor Vasilis Papageorgopoulos carried the Olympic torch on the first leg of the next stage of its route to the ancient ampitheatre at Dion.

However, there were some minor episodes when passers - by called for a free Tibet and called members of Chinese TV crew covering the event, butchers