TORRRCCCCCHHHHH LIGHT!!!!
A week ago steel barricades went up on Canberra streets in preparation for the Olympic Torch relay.

Very early this morning busload after busload disgorged thousands of people from Sydney.

Over the 10 mile or so route, there were interesting examples of democracy in action.

Protestors supporting human rights in Tibet and Burma were outnumbered by Chinese supporters.

Some Chinese supporters were thuggish in their behaviour surrounding protestors and kicking and screaming at them. Fortunately the police intervened several times to allow the surrounded protestors escape.

Unfortunately at the concert protestors were basically escorted away, and were not allowed to continue with their activism.

However, other Chinese, particularly students, were dignified, pleasant and amicable.

A sea of red flags diluted the presence of Free Tibet protest flags.

It was heart-warming to see some Chinese in yellow T-shirts calming Chinese who were aggresively attacking verbally protestors.

Isolated incidents of Chinese physically assaulting protestors, snatching Free Tibet flags and breaking the sticks attached to the flags occurred.

Australians ranged in behaviour from saying that sport should be separated from politics, to others saying that protestors were well within their civil rights to make their protest.

A Buddhist nun, walking slowly along a road, holding a banner for a free Tibet, and chanting quitened Chinese activists who had been abusing protestors, and other Buddhists joined in the chant, a memorable moment, that had a deep affect on all who watched it.

A huge police presence did much to maintain the peace, and it is worth noting that 8 arrests compared to 76 at the Skyfire firework celebration indicate the police were not over zealous.

At Commonwealth Park the Australian and Chinese national anthems were sung with much gusto, and the crowds enjoyed the following concert.

As dusk quickened over the national capital, the barricades were being put back on trucks and the streets returned to normal.

The Olympic Torch symbolises something that cannot really be attained in the world, but at least today in Canberra sport, politics and activism and national pride intersected.

People were exposed to differing viewpoints and memories result.

FREE TIBET!