The French Protest China

[Cancel 2016.2]

Yeah, they even overcame the overwhelming urge to surrender in order to do it too!

""The plan was for the torchbearers to be encircled by several hundred officers, some in riot police vehicles and on motorcycles, others on rollerblades and on foot. Closest to the torchbearer would be the Chinese torch escorts, with Paris police on rollerblades moving around them. French firefighters in jogging shoes would encircle the rollerbladers, while motorcycle police would form the outer layer of security"

For the protestors to get close enough to the athletes I would imaging quite a few of the above "protectors" did indeed surrender. Not to mention the fact that they put out the torch and hid on a bus for a portion of the route.

I think the reason you didn't see a wholesale surrender is that both sides were French. They weren't sure who was supposed to give up first. Thus, it became a surrenderpalooza.

 

[Damocles]

""The plan was for the torchbearers to be encircled by several hundred officers, some in riot police vehicles and on motorcycles, others on rollerblades and on foot. Closest to the torchbearer would be the Chinese torch escorts, with Paris police on rollerblades moving around them. French firefighters in jogging shoes would encircle the rollerbladers, while motorcycle police would form the outer layer of security"

For the protestors to get close enough to the athletes I would imaging quite a few of the above "protectors" did indeed surrender. Not to mention the fact that they put out the torch and hid on a bus for a portion of the route.

I think the reason you didn't see a wholesale surrender is that both sides were French. They weren't sure who was supposed to give up first. Thus, it became a surrenderpalooza.

True. That was the human equivalent of the Maginot Line too. Impossible to pass... Several rings of people all round the tiny flame.

 

[Cypress]

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/04/07/oly.torchrelay/index.html

The French kill me. They are quickto protest and strike over injustices around the world, but never actually do anything of substance to correct them or they complain when other people do. Case in point Afghanistan. In the months leading to our invasion, I used to see all kind of Taliban posters in the metro, begging people do something about the injustices afghan women had to endure. We invade and try to topple al queda, they still had something to say about it (before the Iraq invasion). Its just like shut up already. You aren't going to do anything about it.

I actually kind of respect a country that takes it to the streets, instead of vegging out in front of american idol.

I'm not sure about the french being passive. I think they have more peacekeeping troops deployed around the world, than just about any other countries.