Woman protestor tries to put off Olympic torch with a water pistol, gets arrested.

A female protestor in Japan has reportedly been arrested for attempting to extinguish the Olympic torch with a water gun.

The woman, identified as 53-year-old Kayoko Takahashi, was seen in a viral clip holding the plastic water gun as the Olympic torch was carried through the city of Mito.

She is heard saying 'No Olympics' and 'Stop the games' in Japanese while aiming the water pistol directly at the flame that was being carried by a runner in Senba Park.

Just as she attempted to douse the flame, a steward intervened and managed to block the water gun with a shield.

Watch it here:

Reports said the spray did hit the torch but seemingly didn't affect the flame. The torchbearer was seen continuing his run unfazed by the woman's actions.

A deputy police chief in the city of Mito said the woman was arrested for 'deliberately aiming at the runner and interfering with the relay'.

"You can't shoot water at people for no good reason. She clearly wasn't playing around - this isn't child's play," said



Noriaki Nagatsuk.

It was later confirmed by the police that Takahashi admitted to the allegations and said her actions were to protest the Olympic Games in Japan.

She isn't the only one who has been protesting. Many Japanese citizens have taken to social media and the streets to protest against the Olympics due to public health concerns amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

An online petition to cancel the Olympics, which went live last Wednesday, has garnered over 4,40,000 signatures.

The torch incident comes just days after organisers of the event said they had limited the number of attendees at the Olympic Games opening ceremony.

Reports have said that only a select number of VIPs, diplomats, and sponsors of the event will be welcomed at the stadium on 23 July.