It could be a rocky relay for the Olympic flame.
The anti-Olympics zombie march by 300 people in Victoria Friday forced VANOC to delay and divert the procession on the flame's first evening in Canada.
Protesters clogged a Rockland intersection while a torchbearers' minibus waited on a side street.
Interior lights dimmed before the vehicle sped past hundreds of people who lined the street.
"We thought it would be nice to see it run by, take a picture and send it to the family," said disappointed local resident Mike Doiron, who waited an hour in the rain.
The relay resumed near Mile 0 and VANOC claimed all torchbearers had their moment with the torch.
At least 40 municipal and RCMP police officers in yellow jackets followed the masked and costumed protesters closely, beginning in Centennial Square. Seven Vancouver cops on horseback appeared near Bastion Square. The peaceful protest eventually ended at the Parliament Buildings' concert when marchers walked through a police line outside the Royal B.C. Museum.
"Aside from a few isolated examples of police officers being right in the face of some protesters, generally speaking it was low-key," said B.C. Civil Liberties Association executive director David Eby.
Though the flame will be transported 45,000 kilometres across Canada until Feb. 12, only 3,600 km will be covered by the 12,000 torchbearers.
WHERE'S THE TORCH TODAY?
MONDAY
Starts in Tofino. Ends in Campbell River.
TUESDAY
Flight to Whitehorse, Yukon. Ends in Atlin, B.C.
