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TIL that in 1956 during the Olympic torch relay, a veterinary student staged a protest and made a fake flame by lighting a pair of underpants on fire in a can and handing it over to the next runner

https://web.archive.org/web/20080413001401/http://www.thebirdman.org/Index/Temp/Temp-OlympicUnderwearRelay-EH.htm

5 comments

quixotic120

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that sounds like they made a real flame

ironhydroxide

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A real flame, but not one ignited by the sun in Greece. (Or wherever it is started)

Kolanaki

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What reason would they have for protesting the Olympics?

stoy

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The Olympic flame relay is a tradition started by the Nazis during the 1936 olympic games, the protest was to show dissatisfaction with keeping the tradition alive.

These days, I doubt anyone makes the same connection.

Kolanaki

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Sounds like the one actually not fucked up thing the Nazis started. Should we stop doing fun, harmless things just because a Nazi did them too?