‘No Genocide Games’: Protesters Disrupt Beijing Winter Olympics Flame-Lighting Ceremony

The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics got off to a bad start Monday morning when activists protesting the Chinese government’s appalling human-rights record managed to mess up the traditional pre-Games flame-lighting ceremony in Greece. Ahead of each Games, the Olympic flame is ignited at the Greek birthplace of the ancient Olympics, the Temple of Hera at the site of Ancient Olympia. But, at Monday’s ceremony ahead of next year’s Games in Beijing, three protesters managed to vault a fence to enter the grounds in protest. According to AP, one of them held a banner that read “No genocide games” and another was heard shouting: “How can Beijing be allowed to host the Olympics given that they are committing a genocide against the Uighurs?” The activists were wrestled to the ground by police and detained, then the flame was eventually lit under heavy security. The torch will now be taken to Athens and given to Beijing organizers.