Pro-Palestinian activists stopped from disrupting Milan Cortina Olympics torch relay

Two groups of pro-Palestinian activists were prevented by authorities from coming into contact with the opening stages of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics torch relay, Italian police said on Saturday. In October, more than two million demonstrators marched through more than 100 Italian cities to protest the war in Gaza. Olympic champion swimmer Gregorio Paltrinieri began the relay in the statue-lined Stadio dei Marmi and the torch was carried for 33 kilometers (20 miles) before ending the day in Piazza del Popolo.