Agencies
London, Apr 6:
Despite massive police bandobust, pro-Tibet protesters repeatedly clashed with police and marred the the Olympic torch parade in London on Sunday.
Champion rower Sir Steve Redgrave began the relay, taking the torch out of the newly renovated Wembley stadium as it began its 50-km journey to Greenwich's O2 Arena.
Police arrested three people when they tried to board the bus carrying the torch from the stadium. Protesters later tried to snatch the torch from Konnie Huq and a fire extinguisher was let off.
Police in hundreds provided a protective ring around the torch.
Braving unseasonal snow and chilly weather, hundreds of people including sizeable number of pro-Tibetan campaigners had lined up the route as the Torch relay passed through Ladbroke Grove, British Museum and China Town.
It is scheduled to pass through Trafalgar Square, Southbank Centre, Somerset House, St Paul's Cathedral, Potter's Fields, Whitechapel Road, Stratford, Canary Wharf before reaching North Greenwich at dusk.
Pro-Tibet campaigners had appealed to British Prime Minister Gordon Brown not to welcome the torch in Downing Street and to boycott the Beijing Olympics unless China opened talks with the Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama.
But Brown resisted the calls pointing out that the exiled Tibetan leader opposed such action.
Those taking part in the relay in London include 10 Olympic champions, 18 schoolchildren and public figures such as news reader Sir Trevor McDonald and musician Vanessa Mae.
Metropolitan Police said 2,000 officers are mobilised to maintain order along the route of the relay.
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