This Olympic torch thing

[Arch]

Looking at the better video, he did look like he was slightly turning toward the torch, possibly planning to undertake the cop in the front of shot.. But within the range of wobble expected from a bike going slowly. Certainly the tackle seems OTT, and misjudged - although I suspect the cop didn't expect the way the bike pivoted. Even so, way OTT.

[Auntie Helen]

The Real Relay is coming to Colchester tomorrow so I shall ride to East Bergholt to see them!

[Sergeant Pluck]

I thought the way they dealt with the turrist torch-snatchers in Coventry was much better, a quick assessment and a quiet ushering away. Despite the fact that it was actually quite odd the way those two kids ran up like that.

[Polar Bear]

Looking at the better video, he did look like he was slightly turning toward the torch, possibly planning to undertake the cop in the front of shot.. But within the range of wobble expected from a bike going slowly. Certainly the tackle seems OTT, and misjudged - although I suspect the cop didn't expect the way the bike pivoted. Even so, way OTT.

I've watched it a few times.   I think that he starts to accelerate and cuts inside the trailing copper who turns and grabs him.   Not sure what the kid was trying to do but I think the copper was simply acting on instinct.   

On balance I'd say that the kid was going for his moment of glory...

[nightrider]

When the torch came through Grantham.Our cycling club was asked to take part in the parade,we had the odd boy on a BMX gatecrash.No problem.No children assalted by bullies here.

[Cudzoziemiec]

Deadly child terrorist on BMX dealt with.

...we'd like to remind people not to enter the security bubble,...

I think the phrase "security bubble" sums it up.

[Bledlow]

"A malechild on a pedal cycle attemptedlooked as if he might be about to enter the security bubble around the torchbearer. The Met's torch security teamAn out of control over-aggressive cop prevented him from gaining access to the torchbearerassaulted him and the malechild fellwas pulled off his bike and thrown to the ground in front of a moving vehicle. He immediately got back on his bike and left."

[Cudzoziemiec]

Are they actually cops, ie police, or security of some other sort? They don't appear to be in uniform.

[andrewc]

boy-knocked-from-bike-by-torch-security

Met police according to the article.

"The torch security team is made up of 70 unarmed officers, including 35 'runners' who may jog up to 20 miles a day alongside the torchbearers.

Officers take it in turns to sleep with the mother flame in a lantern in his or her room overnight."  Mother Flame  WTF ? 

[Kim]

Not sure what the kid was trying to do but I think the copper was simply acting on instinct.   

On balance I'd say that the kid was going for his moment of glory...

If I were a teenage oik, I'd reckon there's plenty of hero-of-the-hour potential in simply getting a bit close to the torch and wrestled back into the crowd by the Met.  You don't even have to get your mates to video it for Youtube - The BBC will do that bit for you.

[AndyK]

Officers take it in turns to sleep with the mother flame in a lantern in his or her room overnight."  Mother Flame  WTF ? 

Also known as the Olympic Bic.

[Cudzoziemiec]

boy-knocked-from-bike-by-torch-security

Met police according to the article.

"The torch security team is made up of 70 unarmed officers, including 35 'runners' who may jog up to 20 miles a day alongside the torchbearers.

Officers take it in turns to sleep with the mother flame in a lantern in his or her room overnight."  Mother Flame  WTF ? 

From that article:

The Met Police, who co-ordinate the security team, said in a statement: "The Met's torch security team prevented [the boy] from gaining access to the torchbearer and the male fell off his bike.

They obviously felt strongly enough like Bledlow (ie that referring to him as "a male" was an attempt to make him sound like not-a-child) to edit the Met's statement.

[perpetual dan]

"fell" is pushing it a bit as well.

Where I live we have a bit of a burning torches in the streets tradition. One torch, no effigies and no bangers might be seen as a bit understated.

[madcow]

I noted that Lewis Hamilton got to carry the torch through Luton . Thats the same Lewis Hamilton  that lives in Switzerland to avoid paying UK taxes on his earnings.

I cant see how the officers protecting the flame are running up to 20 miles a day. the torch is in a van most of the day and only gets carried relatively short distances. If they are doing that sort of distance , would have expected them to be looking a bit leaner by now.

[tiermat]

I noted that Lewis Hamilton got to carry the torch through Luton . Thats the same Lewis Hamilton  that lives in Switzerland to avoid paying UK taxes on his earnings.

...and is from Stevenage.

[Rhys W]

It was only a matter of time: Olympic torch: Male streaker arrested at torch relay

[mattc]

It was only a matter of time: Olympic torch: Male streaker arrested at torch relay

<sniggers> That's the leg NikW will be doing on Thursday (in the Real Relay, of course)

[Wowbagger]

It was only a matter of time: Olympic torch: Male streaker arrested at torch relay

I wonder why he was arrested? It seemed to liven up the even for most of the onlookers. And wasn't that the late Jimmy Saville bearing the torch?

[Bledlow]

Nobody did that when it went past the end of our street half an hour ago. I have a little video of some anonymous bloke trotting along gently with it in his hand.

[rogerzilla]

I was hoping for a streaker at the tennis on Sunday.  We don't have enough streakers these days - presumably they get done for some sort of sexcrime and put on a register now 

[perpetual dan]

I wonder why he was arrested?

For not using the officially sanctioned supplier of meat and two veg to the olympics?

[Bledlow]

I was hoping for a streaker at the tennis on Sunday.  We don't have enough streakers these days - presumably they get done for some sort of sexcrime and put on a register now 

Sad, innit? Especially at cricket matches, which can often do with a bit of livening up.

[madcow]

I have a little video of some anonymous bloke trotting along gently with it in his hand.

I assume you mean the Olympic torch

[SlowCoach]

boy-knocked-from-bike-by-torch-security

Met police according to the article.

"The torch security team is made up of 70 unarmed officers, including 35 'runners' who may jog up to 20 miles a day alongside the torchbearers.

Officers take it in turns to sleep with the mother flame in a lantern in his or her room overnight."  Mother Flame  WTF ? 

That's interesting. We took the disabled son of a friend to see the torch relay when it passed through Durham a few weeks ago. We had to get a position close to the path so that  the lad could actually see what was happening as he has very limited sight amongst other disabilities. The local police perceived that his white stick (carried so that people will realise that his sight is virtually non-existent, but also used as an aid to support himself) might be construed to be an offensive weapon by the Met police. I thought they were joking at first, but they were genuinely concerned that he might be shoulder charged out of the way. The local chief inspector sorted the problem for us though by assigning 2 of the burliest members of the local constabulary to stand either side of him and act as human hi-vis bollards. Sure enough, as the relay approached, one of the grey shorted ones made a beeline for the lad leaning on a white stick. At the critical time, the bollards stepped forward, the met officer bounced off them and the relay continued past. Our friend's son was totally oblivious of the entire incident, but he went away happy having seen the torch (or at least he thinks he did - his tunnel vision is so acute that we are never really sure what he's seen). The difference in approach taken by the local police and the met was very evident.

[Kim]

...

I have no words.