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100 Police on Rollerblades (Inline Skates) Guard Olympic Torch Relay in Paris

OK it's not too important, but I'm always fascinated by any mention of the inline skating police in Paris. This seems a not so wonderful way to catch criminals, so I guess their duty is limited to situations where they're just a helpful resource. Only in movies where the thiefs run straight down a sidewalk or road conveniently would the skates be that great for the chase. However, being included in any honor guard that includes motorbikes and firefighters is pretty nice. We're on a thin schedule of reinforcement, we skaters!
Also of note and without comment except to say "without borders" seems to be "sans frontiers" as we saw on Bill Moyers' show last night in his coverage of Congo, including Doctors Without Borders, and amazingly, the cyclists who deliver 200-pound bags of food on 3-day journeys into remote areas of the country...
Press freedom campaigners Reporters Without Borders (RSF) -- which disrupted the lighting of the flame at Olympia in Greece last month -- called on Thursday for the estimated 35,000 race participants to wear T-shirts depicting the five trademark Olympic rings as handcuffs.
Paris security ring to guard Olympic torch relay - Khaleej Times -
[Rollerblading]
Khaleej Times, United Arab Emirates - 19 minutes ago
The layers of security will be deep, comprising 65 motorcycle outriders, 100 jogging firemen and 100 policemen on rollerblades, followed by 32 vehicles ...
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Photo of Paris Roller Police at Arc de Triomphe on Brick Pavers
Torch Twice Snuffed by Police! My Illusions Gone. Extinguisher
This is interesting to me, if only me. Reports from France are that twice the torch was snuffed by those in charge and put on a bus for part of the ride.
OK. My illusions are gone. The eternal flame isn't eternal after all. I guess that has ramifications for the Bangles song, too (in the later, less Beatley jangly, more whiney piney period), but maybe they were still clever and just asked if it could be an eternal flame, and the answer is now no, I guess. Who would have thought the police would be responsible! Not me.
I would have thought that if they protected that flame with 3000 police that one goal would be to not let it go out even if it meant finding a magic bus, or an electric bus, or a loaner of the Pope mobile, or maybe a bicycle or electric scooter or electric convertible? Surely there is some mode of transport that would protect it while still lighted?
How about an electric tank of love for the torch? It could be white with different colors on the wheels to make Olympic rings! I've seen video of tanks being used in protests and they're usually pretty effective unless they meet with "dangerous unselfishness," as MLK2 put it.
One cool thing about the French is they love to go out and protest in the streets if conditions are right, and they seem to be just now. Even if I don't agree with what they're saying I love that they will go out and exercise some free speech. Me, I just sit at home and talk back to the radio. At least they go where they can be seen! Despite all the jokes about them, they do visibly, audibly protest these last few decades.
OK. Back to the torch relay in Paris. Sounds like 80 runners were to go just 27 km (huh?). The first snuffing was as a runner carried the flame, the second was reported to be after a wheelchair athlete arrived out of a tunnel with the torch. I've not seen any reports of any of the torch bearers being hurt. The CBC reporter said it would be hard to see the torch with all the security.
- http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/04/07/paris-torch.html
Here's some not so impressive video, but it does include some of the upper bodies and heads of what appear to be the Skops (roller police) in white hats (helmets).The CBC reporter said the protesters were not trying to extinguish the flame (I guess he meant the ones he met in Paris!).
Oh yes, there was a reference in the same story to what appeared to be a fire extinguisher in the London protests, and logically enough, it was a protester wielding that rather than the police (supposedly). My bad! But it was still a pretty funny idea to me to think they might do something so ironic and ineffective. The Pink Panther Runs Rings Around You Olympically!
I hope everyone is OK, nobody gets hurt, and all protest are non-violent! Skateylove, y'all, roadskater
Photos and Video of the Roller Police in Paris; London Video
London Skops, Heely Kids & Helmets, Paris RolliPoli, Heely Cops!
Chirp...chirp...chirp...
Hey! I was listening! I was especially amused by the Princess Anne comments and looked to find the hairdo, thankyuhverymuch. However, I concluded after not finding it, that much like Kodachrome, it'd never match my imagination - especially after your hilarious description.
Still, Blakes say the darndest things and now I've got the Lovely Rita song on my mind. That's me Mum's name! She hated that song! Just like my friend Joanna hates that Joanna song. I enjoyed your rundown of the French Manifestants. Merci.
I need a skateylove translation book
Skenglish Skateylove