Olympic torch extinguished in Paris

The Paris leg of the Olympic torch relay was severely distrupted by protesters yesterday, forcing Olympic organizers to extinguish the torch and place it on a bus five times, AP reported. Despite the deployment of around 3,000 officers meant to separate torch runners from protesters, activists repeatedly tried to douse the torch with water, with at least two protestors getting within arm's length before being seized by police. Twenty-eight people were taken into custody. The torch relay has been plagued by protests and disturbances since its lighting in Greece last month and during the London leg. Beijing organizers criticized London's protests as a "disgusting" form of sabotage by Tibetan separatists.