Protesters disrupt Olympic flame ceremony

Protesters breached tight security at the Olympic flame ceremony to shout slogans condemning China's rights record and unfurl a flag demanding a boycott of the Beijing Games.

Three men staged the protest as the chief Chinese Olympics organiser, Liu Qi, made a speech before the flame was lit at the ancient Greek temple of Olympia.

One man unfurled a flag declaring 'Boycott the country that tramples on human rights'.

Another tried to grab the microphone from Liu and shouted 'freedom, freedom' at the official stand where International Olympic Committee chairman Jacques Rogge and other dignitaries were sat.

Security officers quickly grabbed all three and dragged them away. Greek police had imposed heavy security around the sight, which included armed police watching down from nearby hills.

Police said the demonstrator was a 48-year-old Tibetan and that three men had so far been detained.

Several thousand people were at the ceremony but all were meant to have special accreditation.

Greek state television quickly cut its live broadcast to an image away from the protesters when the incident started.

Exiled Tibetans had pledged to demonstrate on the day against China's security crackdown in the region and what they say is the IOC's hesitance to pressure Beijing to improve its human rights record.

Police said an additional 25 protesters had attempted to come in but a strong police presence kept them at bay before they dispersed.

Liu, who kept his cool during the demonstration, said: 'The Olympic flame will radiate light and happiness, peace and friendship, and hope and dreams to the people of China and the whole world.'

Greek athlete Alexandros Nikolaidis, an Athens 2004 Games taekwondo silver medallist, is the first torchbearer starting a six-day Greek relay before the flame is handed over to the Chinese on 30 March.

'I express here the hope that the symbol of the torch will be recognised by everybody and that the right circumstances can be created, wherever the torch travels, for it to resonate,' International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge said in a speech inside the ancient stadium.

Greek police said they had also detained Tibetan activist Tenzin Dorjee of the Students for Free Tibet group in Olympia.

He was not part of the protest but was planning to stage a demonstration later in the day.