Olympic Torch

So the Olympic Torch came through Seoul today. While not really looking to be a protestor, if there was going to be one, I was going to be damned if I wasn't there. It started in Olympic Park at around 2pm local time with the torch being lit from the eternal flame from the 1988 games that were here. After it ran on its way, the crowd of 99.99% Chinese People turned slightly violent toward the great minority of Tibetan protesters.

I was a few feet from this man who was riding on his bike shouting pro-Tibetan things until he was kicked off his bike and his head slammed off the ground. I will have some pics of this incident of my own up on flickr tomorrow hopefully.

Then we made our way over to the Tibetan protest area, which had turned into a contained platform for the other masses to throw things ranging from rocks, to hamburgers and drinks to freaking bolt cutters -- I shit you not. This video is a pretty good example of what it was like. I was in that mix, but a little further down to the right of where the camera man is. Unfortunately, we sort of all got boxed into the Chinese side of the protest, and while I was most certainly not a vocal member of that group, I would have still felt less dirty being on the side having stuff thrown at them. Despite a complete lack of a plan on how to keep the pro-Tibet people safe, the Seoul police did a really good job of keeping their cool. During the parade route, a couple N.K. refugees tried to set themselves on fire, and the police stopped it and kept on going. There was no pepper spray, there was no violent resistance. I know of no real injuries. They did a good job.