Torino Torch Trouble 2006

It hasn't only been a long glorious journey through Italy for the Olympic Torch. Though most people have massively supported the relay and cheered while it has passed through the different regions, political activists (and they are many here in Italy) have seen the journey as a golden opportunity for media attention.
Yesterday the latest place for a 'Torch incident' was Trento in Northern Italy, where a group of eight anarchists tried to grab the torch from Eleonora Berlanda, the Italian 1.500m champion. But she and her companions of runners and police escort bravely defended the torch from being stolen or the fire put out.
Four of the Anti-globalisation activists were arrested, and the torch was later carried to the main square twenty minutes after schedule.
Also in Genova, Iesi, Bologna and Modena the torch relay has experienced incidents with demonstrators trying to send some kind of message, before the start of the Torino 2006 Olympics. The organising committee Toroc has also suggested that the relay route is led past the troublesome Val di Susa region where they expect clashes with demonstrators against a planned high speed train line.

(a couple more pictures can be found after the jump)