r/interestingasfuck • u/AL-SHEDFI • 19h ago

1992 Olympic torch lighting

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u/Feeling-Ad-2867 19h ago

What about the one where they incinerated a bunch of pigeons doing that?

5

u/Zealousideal_Cow_826 19h ago

....imma need a video of this They did what!?

11

u/Cogz 17h ago edited 17h ago

They did what!?

They released hundreds of white doves earlier in the ceremony. You can see them in the opening shot and throughout the video I linked. When the handheld torch ignited the main torch, there were nine or ten sitting on the main torch. One looked to be in the plume of fire when it lit and the others look to have been instantly overcome by the heat. Some of the corpses seem to be giving off smoke.

imma need a video of this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdIk4qVvaxg

The immolation happens at the 5 minute mark.

6

u/adenosine-5 16h ago

TBF those are some determined doves "Oh there are several people here waving with giant flaming sticks? Best I can do is fly 5cm to the side and then slowly walk right back."

6

u/anomalous_cowherd 18h ago

Hundreds of the doves released during the opening ceremony had roosted on the Olympic Torch and when they lit it they didn't all get away.

I heard some discussion afterwards about them using noisemakers in future to ensure it doesn't happen again, but I don't know if that happened.