Russians Quash Tiny Protest of Beijing’s Bid for Olympics

Russian riot police broke up a tiny group’s attempt to protest Beijing’s bid for the 2008 Summer Olympics, detaining at least six demonstrators and two journalists Wednesday minutes after the protest began.

About 15 demonstrators tried to unfurl a banner on a sidewalk along the Moscow River, not far from the conference center where International Olympic Committee officials were meeting.

The banner, nearly 7 feet high, pictured five bullet holes in place of the Olympic rings. Riot police immediately broke up the protest.

“This is the same thing that would happen in China!” protest leader Yangzom Brauen shouted.

The IOC is to vote Friday in Moscow on who will host the 2008 Games. Beijing is the apparent favorite among five candidates, but opponents say China should not get the Games because of its intolerance of dissent and repression of minorities.