Olympic Torch in Argentina

by Amy Judd | April 11, 2008 at 06:51 pm

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The demonstrations in Argentina were a little more subdued than we have seen in other cities so far. Anti-China demonstrations were surprisingly quiet and it was reported that some even left and went home before the end of the relay.
That is quite a difference than has been seen in previous countries.

It was the latest stage in the torch’s international tour, which has been marked by angry protests. Protesters on Friday at the main march, involving about 100 people, walked for about a quarter of a mile from the obelisk, one of the city’s monuments, to the square in front of the presidential palace, before the crowd broke up. One slogan on their banners read, “No Freedom of Religion in China.”

There was no violence, and almost as many police officers lined the protesters’ route as protesters.

About 500 China supporters in red windbreakers that had been handed out by the organizers of the relay waved banners and denounced what they said had been political interference in the ceremony, The Associated Press reported.

The organizers of the anti-China demonstration had said in advance that they planned to demonstrate peacefully and they did not intend to attack the torch, as happened in other cities on the torch’s worldwide tour.