Calm has returned to the streets of Paris after a Monday afternoon, which saw the Olympic flame chaotically make its truncated way through the French capital.

What should have been a good natured celebration ahead of the sporting event of the year to be held in Beijing in August, turned into a heavily policed pantomime as protestors interrupted the progress of the torch.

The relay was cut short, the flame extinguished several times by security officials, stage after stage cancelled and the flame arrived at its final destination 30 minutes late.

The afternoon didn’t get off to a good start as the first of the scheduled 80 athletes taking part in the relay descended the Eiffel Tower. Within minutes a pattern was set that would continue for the duration of the torch’s journey as demonstrators protesting at China’s security crackdown in Tibet made their presence felt.

They made several attempts to put out the flame, lay in the path of the runners to stop their progress, held banners aloft and jeered as the torch passed. Read Full Article