Yesterday Danwei published a summary of an Asian Sentinel article saying that the Olympic torch had been extinguished in Shenzen, apparently in a act of protest.
Long time Danwei commenter Spelunker has this to say about the torch’s southern campaign (emphasis added):
This is Spelunker reporting live from Guangzhou. I witnessed the torch relay twice in Guangzhou (Zhongshan Memorial Hall and Beijing Pedestrian Street) and saw local TV coverage of the Shenzhen relay.
Allow me to present the facts:
1. No foreign media are allowed to accompany the torch route in China, as only local Chinese press are allowed in the media vehicles that travel along the torch relay route.
2. The Olympic flame was extinguished 4 times in Guangzhou, and the torch route was changed twice due to overcrowding conditions. The live TV broadcast did briefly show torch bearer #197 as his torch went out, but there was no live broadcast of the torch when similar problems developed elsewhere along the route because TV broadcasts cut away to commentary by studio folks.
3. Local daily newspapers provided adequate explanations on May 8 for the 4 torch extinguishings and 2 minor route detours in Guangzhou.
4. There were no protests of any kind in Guangzhou.
I really doubt the Shenzhen torch extinguishings were due to any type of local protest, instead it is more likely due to overcrowding as was the actual case in Guangzhou.
The police perimeter was changed in front of Zhongshan Memorial Hall. This occured just an hour before the torch relay was due and upset local residents who waited for 4 or 5 hours at this prime viewing location. There was a brief scuffle between police and some feisty elderly Chinese who refused to move, but I did not stay to see the end result of that battle.
At Beijing Pedestrian Street I was able to enjoy a pleasant tug-of-war between police and an enthusiastic crowd that tightly sandwiched the narrow Olympic thoroughfare. This was definitely one of the best venues for getting a close-up view of the torch relay if you don’t mind being a sardine for several minutes. I held up a big sign with 4 Chinese characters “You Er Ge Ge” as the torch relay runner and torch attendant brothers jogged by. Many photographers took pictures of me and my sign (I wore my “Lei Feng” T-shirt as well) but I haven’t seen myself on TV, in newspapers or on the Internet yet.