Flame protests
Games government supervisor Mario Pescante says 32 protests have marked the Turin torch relay since it left Rome on Dec. 8.

While none of the protests has interrupted the relay, Pescante is starting to worry about a bigger protest during the games.

“I’m extremely perturbed. These people are protesting a symbol of peace. They’re just looking for a stage to show that they exist,” Pescante said. “They number a few dozen, whereas there are thousands of people supporting the relay.”

Several of the protests have been against Olympic sponsor Coca-Cola, citing alleged abuse of workers by the company in Latin America.

Nicola Raffa, an Italy-based representative of Coca-Cola, has said the company has nothing to hide and even arranged for the leader of a neighborhood association in Rome to visit Coca-Cola’s facilities in Colombia in March.

Other protests have targeted the high-speed rail link being built across the Turin area to France. They say construction would harm the environment. The latest demonstration came Tuesday in Venice against a plan to save the sinking city from high tides.

Smog solution
The lack of rain and snow in Turin lately has led to high smog levels.

The city has announced a traffic ban for this Sunday and the following Sunday, Jan. 29.

City spokesman Riccardo Caldara said the bans were instituted in place of the usual weekday procedure of alternating traffic between even- and odd-numbered license plates.

“It’s not as bothersome to people trying to get around town and people working on the Olympics,” he said. “During the Olympics there will absolutely be no restrictions.”

Besides emergency vehicles, Olympic organizing committee vehicles also will be permitted to circulate.

“We hope it rains or snows soon,” Caldara added.

Martini parties
George Clooney has a house on Lake Como.

During the Olympics, though, it might be easier to find the actor in the small hamlet of Pessione on Turin’s outskirts.

That’s where the distillery and museum of Martini & Rossi S.p.A. — the world’s leading vermouth producer — is located.

Clooney is the face of Martini & Rossi ads in Italy and the company is planning parties at its Pessione facilities during the games.

Count Luigi Rossi — the Rossi in Martini & Rossi — lives in Turin and is also planning high visibility during the Olympics.