FATHERS’ rights campaigners say they are in talks to disrupt the Olympic Torch Relay in Penzance next month.
The Cornishman has been told New Fathers 4 Justice (NF4J) plan to stop the torch relay in Penzance by hiding down one of the drains along the route.
But police say they are building up an intelligence picture around the relay and will deal “robustly” with anything likely to impact on the route.
The torch relay will start at Land’s End on May 19 and will be in Penzance for half an hour in the morning, from 8.20am to 8.50am.
NF4J spokesman for the South West, Rich Adams, said the group had plans to disrupt the relay at four or five locations across Cornwall and that Penzance would be one of the places targeted.
Attempt
He said: “There are plans for Penzance and other parts of Cornwall. There certainly will be a major attempt in Penzance … we are in negotiations about hiring a boat from Penzance Harbour.”
Mr Adams said the group had already done a test run along the torch route by driving it from Land’s End to Exeter.
He said: “We would hope it would not put anyone at risk and obviously we are trying to do this with an element of a sense of humour that is involved in all our protests. Basically we want to make our point.”
A police spokesman said: “We are working very closely with the local authority and the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games to ensure the event runs as smoothly as possible and we are building up an intelligence picture so we can deal with any incidents of disorder protests during the event. We respect the right to peaceful protest but we will deal robustly with anything that is likely to impact on the torch procession.”
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