Olympic torch's entourage? Over 2,000 troops

Officials worried about Danish group protesting China's human rights record

	Police watch over a group of Danish protesters, all dressed in orange, gathered outside the headquarters of the Hellenic Olympic Committee. More than 2,000 police were deployed in Athens as the torch relay for the Beijing Olympics was headed to the Greek capital on Saturday.
Petros Giannakouris / AP

Inside NBCSports.com

Scores, schedules
Fantasy sports
Trash Talk
Player news
Sports odds
Game matchups
Week in Pictures
JT The Brick

updated 1:04 p.m. ET March 29, 2008

ATHENS, Greece - More than 2,000 police were deployed Saturday to guard the Beijing Olympics torch relay as demonstrators gathered in the capital to protest China’s human rights record.

A small group of Danish protesters dressed in orange were at the headquarters of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, several hours before the flame was due to reach Athens.

“We are here to protests the state of human rights in China and to speak out for those who cannot speak for themselves in China,” Maja Groen told The Associated Press.

Story continues below ↓

advertisement | your ad here

The group, led by Danish artist Jens Galschioet, said it had tried to follow the torch relay from central Greece to Athens but were kept back by police.

“It was really annoying that the Greek police did not allow us to follow the flame,” Groen said. The flame arrived in Athens around 1 p.m. ET.

Thousands of people gathered in parts of the Greek capital to watch the event, as the runners ran through streets lined with the Chinese, Greek and Olympic flags.

Greek officials kept details of the route’s Athens leg under tight wraps fearing a repeat of protests by human rights campaigners and opponents of China’s violent crackdown in Tibet that marred Monday’s flame-lighting ceremony in Ancient Olympia.

Police said the precise route was not being made public for security reasons.

Slide show
Week in Sports Pictures
Flying on the hardwood, racing on the rink, getting physical on the gridiron, and much more.
more photos
Later Saturday, runners will carry the torch to the village of Marathon, the starting point of the 26-mile race inspired by an ancient soldier’s run to Athens to announce the Athenian victory over the invading Persian army in 490 B.C.

The Beijing flame will then spend the night atop the Acropolis.

The Greek Olympic Committee has banned any media from covering the Acropolis leg, provoking protests from Greece’s Foreign Press Association.

After being carried through the capital, the torch will be handed over to Beijing officials on Sunday at the restored ancient stadium where the first modern Olympics were held in 1896.

ALSO ON THIS STORY

Discuss: Sound off on sports message boards