Jakarta Torch Relay TOTAL DISASTER, More Embarrassment for China and IOC

Jakarta has brought more shame on China as the Beijing Olympics of Shame's Torch Relay yet again is met with protests, and little public interest. To protect the shamed torch, Jakarta police had beefed up security, including high pressure water jets, and moved the torch to a closed, secured by invite only location...the event was POORLY ATTENDED.

Rally precedes Olympic torch run in Indonesia

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Torch bearers ran laps with the Olympic flame in front of an invitation-only crowd Tuesday after Indonesia barred the public from witnessing the relay at a stadium amid pressure from China.

Police arrested several demonstrators rallying outside the gates and seized Tibetan flags and banners in a further stain to a global run that Beijing had hoped would drum up support for the August Games.

Criticism of China's human rights record has turned this year's event into one of the most contentious in recent history. Protests against the government's deadly crackdown on rioters in Tibet has dogged stops in Greece, Paris, London and San Francisco.

Many countries across Asia responded by sharply modifying routes and boosting security, with water cannons and 3,000 police officers deployed in the Indonesian capital Tuesday. A handful of torch bearers — most recently in Australia and South Korea — have also announced plans to boycott the relay.

The staged event in Jakarta was not televised live, apparently because no station was prepared to pay for the rights.

Protests begin in Indonesia ahead of Olympic torch run E-mail Save Print

By Zakki Hakim, Associated Press Writer JAKARTA, Indonesia — Police briefly detained at least eight people and seized flags from pro-Tibet activists Tuesday during a rowdy demonstration against the Olympic torch relay in Indonesia. Water cannons and 3,000 officers were deployed around the main sports stadium in the bustling capital, Jakarta, where the parade was held before a small, invitation-only crowd, said deputy police chief Herri Wibowo. Jakarta's governor started the relay, becoming the first of 80 torchbearers to follow a route that circled the stadium five times instead of running through the streets of Jakarta as originally planned. The Chinese Embassy had insisted the Jakarta relay be shortened and open only to 5,000 invited guests, many of them local school children. The only other country to make the event invite-only so far was Pakistan, which cited security fears. "I am excited to witness history," said Andrea Putri, 15. "This kind of thing does not happen every day."