The Olympic flame arrived in central Turin Thursday completing a two-month tour of Italy marked by protests from anti-global groups and an attempted hijack.
The procession, flanked by policemen and trucks, was briefly diverted from its route to Fiat SpA’s Mirafiori plant as 300 demonstrators gathered in Piazza Sabotino. The group was protesting the construction of a high-speed rail link between Italy and France. The procession ends Thursday night with a ceremony at Piazza Palazzo di Citta.
Thursday hundreds of street protesters, denouncing the Winter Games, forced Olympic torchbearers to change route through the city. Games organizers diverted the flame from the protest site after the demonstrators gathered on the planned route and police warned of possible harm to torchbearers or spectators.
It was the fourth time protesters forced the torch to switch route during its two-month journey.
The torch relay was also diverted Wednesday because of fears planned protests along the route could turn violent. The torch was supposed to have passed through Avigliana, about 15 miles west of Turin. But Turin 2006 officials said it diverted the relay to a stage between Buttlgliera Alta and Rosta based on the recommendations of law enforcement agencies. TOROC said all the planned torchbearers for the Avigliana route ran on the alternate route.
Protesters Thursday also shouted opposition to the expected arrival in Turin of U.S. first lady Laura Bush; denounced the construction of a high-speed train link between the city and France; and an anti-drug law.
Meanwhile NATO will send two surveillance aircraft to patrol the skies over Turin during the Games the alliance announced Wednesday.
The Italian government had asked for air support last year.
Commander Jose Goyanes said the alliance will send two aircraft from the NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control Force to provide extra radar coverage and communications facilities.
