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Brief scuffle at Olympic torch relay

  • Story Highlights
  • More than 2,000 police in Athens guard the Beijing Olympics torch relay
  • Demonstrators and police get into short scuffle; no arrests reported
  • Greek officials kept details of the route's Athens leg under tight wraps
  • The Greek Olympic Committee bans any media from covering the Acropolis leg
  • Next Article in World »
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ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- The Beijing Olympics torch relay reached the ancient Acropolis on Saturday amid heavy police security and brief demonstrations by small groups of protesters.

China's Olympic chief Liu Qi was speaking when the protester ran up behind him

China's Olympic chief Liu Qi was speaking when a protester ran upat the torch lighting March 24.

Police briefly scuffled with a group of anti-globalization demonstrators shortly after the relay entered the city limits. At the foot of the Acropolis, another group unfurled a banner reading "Free Tibet."

The relays were not disrupted by either protest and no arrests were reported.

More than 2,000 police had been deployed to provide security in Athens. A helicopter flew over the relay, while about a dozens plainclothes police on motorcycles flanked the torch-bearer.

Thousands of people gathered in parts of the Greek capital to watch the event, as the runners ran through streets lined with the Chinese, Greek and Olympic flags.

A small group of Danish protesters dressed in orange were at the headquarters of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, several hours before the flame was due to reach Athens.

"We are here to protests the state of human rights in China and to speak out for those who cannot speak for themselves in China," Maja Groen told The Associated Press.

The group, led by Danish artist Jens Galschioet, said it had tried to follow the torch relay from central Greece to Athens but were kept back by police.

"It was really annoying that the Greek police did not allow us to follow the flame," Groen said. The flame is due to arrive in Athens at about 1 p.m. EDT after traveling on the final leg of the Greek relay.

Greek officials kept details of the route's Athens leg under tight wraps fearing a repeat of protests by human rights campaigners and opponents of China's violent crackdown in Tibet that marred Monday's flame-lighting ceremony in Ancient Olympia. Video Watch protest disrupting torch ceremony »

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Police said the precise route was not being made public for security reasons. View map of all countries torch will visit »

The torch will be handed over to Beijing officials on Sunday. E-mail to a friend E-mail to a friend

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

All About Olympic GamesTibetChinaJacques Rogge

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