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Mohammed Hussain |
Torch fears of schoolboy in Olympic relay
Teenager’s brush with protester
A SCHOOLBOY picked to carry the Olympic torch has revealed how he feared protesters would wrestle it from his hands.
Mohammed Azharul Hussain, 16, from South Camden Community School, was chosen to run between Bloomsbury and Shaftesbury Avenue in Sunday’s relay, taking the torch from former England rugby coach Sir Clive Woodward.
He said: “Woodward passed me the torch and then I started my relay to Shaftesbury Avenue. Suddenly, a protester tried grabbing the torch but the police got him down on the floor.”
Mohammed, who lives in Harrington Square, Camden Town, was told by police to slow down as he ran along Shaftesbury Avenue.
He said: “The police and authorities were shouting. I felt protected but I was worried because, if one person tries something like that, there’s a chance someone else will try it as well.”
Campaigners were protesting at China’s crackdown on pro-independence activists in Tibet and its human rights record. “I can understand where they’re coming from,” said Mohammed. “Obviously, what they’re doing in China is not right and it’s still happening. But wherever you go there’s always going to be people that disagree with you.”
The 33-day Olympic Games world relay started in Kalmaty, Kazakhstan, last Wednesday. But, after the embarrassing clashes between protesters and police in Paris and London, the International Olympic Committee is due to have crisis talks tomorrow (Friday) over the future of the event.
On one stretch of the London relay, an attempt was made to wrestle the torch from former Blue Peter presenter Konnie Huq.
Mohammed said that, despite Sunday’s protests, he enjoyed meeting cricketer Kevin Pietersen, Chelsea football club chief executive Peter Kenyon, ITN newscaster Sir Trevor McDonald and gold medal heptathlete Denise Lewis on the Olympic bus. He said: “They all spoke to me and everyone was really friendly. It was amazing.” |
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