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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 (web.archive.org)

submitted 1 month ago by stoy@lemmy.zip to c/todayilearned@lemmy.world

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[–] quixotic120@lemmy.world 10 points 1 month ago (1 children)

that sounds like they made a real flame

[–] ironhydroxide@sh.itjust.works 5 points 1 month ago

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

[–] Kolanaki@yiffit.net 5 points 1 month ago (1 children)

What reason would they have for protesting the Olympics?

[–] stoy@lemmy.zip 12 points 1 month ago (1 children)

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@yiffit.net 3 points 1 month ago

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?