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Protestors disrupt flame lighting for Beijing Winter Games

October 17 2021 11:17 PM

CP1143866915 — Greek actress Xanthi Georgiou, playing the role of the High Priestess, passes the flame to first torchbearer, Greek alpine ski racer Ioannis Antoniou during the lighting of the Olympic flame at Ancient Olympia site, birthplace of the ancient Olympics in southwestern Greece, Monday, Oct. 18, 2021. The flame will be transported by torch relay to Beijing, China, which will host the Feb. 4-20, 2022 Winter Olympics. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

Original Publication Date: October 17, 2021 11:17PM

Publication Updated: April 15, 2025 9:05PM

OLYMPIA, Greece – Three activists protesting human rights abuses in China have sneaked into the archaeological site where the flame lighting ceremony for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics is being held and ran toward the Temple of Hera holding a Tibetan flag and a banner that read “No genocide games.” The protesters managed to enter the grounds and attempted to reach the area where the ceremony was being held. They were thrown to the ground by police and detained. The flame was lit at the Greek birthplace of the ancient Olympics under heavy police security.