By KUNA
Tokyo : A Beijing Olympic official strongly criticized the attempt by some “pro-Tibet independence” activists to sabotage the torch relay event in London, China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency reported Monday.
A spokesman from the torch relay center of the Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee said that as the highest symbol of the Olympic spirit, the Olympic flame represents peace, friendship and progress, according to Xinhua.
The torch is en route, covering 137,000 kilometers across 135 cities on five continents, to Beijing for the start of the games on August 8.
“A few pro-Tibet independence activists attempted to sabotage the torch relay in London, which is a serious violation of the Olympic spirit, as the Olympic flame belongs to the world,” the spokesman was quoted as saying.
“The act will surely arouse the resentment of the peace-loving people, and is bound to fail,” he added.
“London welcomes the Beijing Olympic flame on Sunday as part of the global Olympic Torch Relay in the run-up to the Beijing Olympics,” said Xinhua.
“Yet some protesters tried to sabotage the torch relay, by trying to grab the torch or extinguish it, stirring clashes with British police,” it said.
The global tour of the Olympic flame comes at a time when the Chinese government is under international pressure to peacefully resolve the unrest in Tibet, after riots broke out in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa last month.