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Police in Italy successfully intercepted and prevented pro-Palestinian activists from interfering with a sacred Olympic tradition on Saturday.
Italian police said pro-Palestinian activists were prevented from coming into contact with the opening stages of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics torch relay.
According to police, both groups of protesters were expelled before reaching the relay route in Rome.
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The Olympic torch is lit in Greece. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
A third group of about 10 people who were watched by police waved Palestinian flags as the relay passed the city’s largest university, La Sapienza.
There were also three people with signs supporting Venezuela near the US embassy.
In October, more than two million protesters marched through more than 100 Italian cities to protest the war in Gaza.
Olympic champion swimmer Gregorio Paltrinieri began the relay at the statue-lined Stadio dei Marmi, and the torch was carried for 20 miles before ending the day in Piazza del Popolo.
The relay will cover almost 7,500 miles and travel through all 110 Italian provinces before arriving at Milan’s San Siro stadium for the opening ceremony on February 6.
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Short track speed skater Jean-Francois Monette lights the Olympic flame at Montreal’s Olympic Stadium during the Olympic Torch Relay on December 9, 2009. (AP Photo/Canadian Press, Paul Chiasson)
In total, there will be 10,001 torchbearers.
The next stops of the torch relay will be Viterbo on Sunday and Terni on Monday.
Pro-Palestinian protesters disrupting sporting events have become increasingly common over the past year, especially at sporting events involving Israeli teams.
Last month, several people were arrested at a soccer match in the United Kingdom which involved the Israeli team Maccabi Tel Aviv. The team’s Israeli fans were banned from attending the match for security reasons, but riots still broke out, with anti-Israel protesters nearby.
Several people were arrested at a soccer match in the United Kingdom which involved the Israeli team Maccabi Tel Aviv. The team’s Israeli fans were banned from attending the match for security reasons, but riots still broke out, with anti-Israel protesters nearby.
An Israeli cycling team was excluded from an October race in Italy, the Giro dell’Emilia, due to concerns about possible disruptions. Pro-Palestinian protests. Organizers made the decision after protesters repeatedly disrupted the recent Vuelta a España.
Seven of the last 11 days of Vuelta racing were shortened or interrupted because the Spanish government estimated that more than 100,000 people were on the streets of Madrid during the final stage in September.
The protesters said their actions were aimed at denouncing Israel’s military campaign in Gaza after Hamas’ deadly attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
