Protesters crash Olympic torch party in London

By Raissa Kasolowsky and Katherine Baldwin

LONDON (Reuters) - Thousands of protesters waving Tibetan flags and shouting "Shame on China" disrupted the Olympic torch's marathon relay through London on Sunday, billed as a journey of harmony and peace.

The flame survived a 31-mile (50-km) obstacle course of lurching demonstrators, an unexpected protective trip on a double-decker bus and even a fire extinguisher to arrive in Greenwich, southeast London, where double gold medalist Kelly Holmes lit up the Olympic cauldron.

But chaotic scenes of police scuffling with anti-China campaigners and images of a triple ring of British police and Chinese officials guarding the torch throughout the all-day relay will embarrass Chinese and Olympic officials.

The torch is on its way to the 2008 Games in Beijing from August 8 to 24. The next Summer Olympics are in London in 2012.

The Olympic flame is supposed to be a symbol of peace and unity and the relay was meant to be a celebration.

One man got his hands on the torch before being wrestled to the ground by police, who arrested at least 35 people.

Martin Wyness and Ashley Darby were detained after trying to put out the flame with a fire extinguisher.

"China has no right parading the Olympic torch through London. The relay ... is nothing more than an elaborate propaganda tool to cover its appalling human rights record," they said in a statement.