Olympic torch relay cut short due to protests

The Olympic torch procession was moved through a warehouse, stopped then started again, put on a boat, and finally cut in half to avoid thousands of competing protesters lining the San Francisco parade route yesterday.

The torch’s only U.S. appearance descended quickly into chaos as San Francisco authorities moved to avoid the quarreling camps of pro-Chinese and pro-Tibetan demonstrators who camped out for hours to witness the traditional pre-Olympics tradition.

In the end, the torch skipped an appearance at the city’s closing ceremony with officials saying it was taken directly to a plane at San Francisco International Airport.

The International Olympic Committee’s decision to hold the 2008 Olympics in Beijing has been vehemently criticized by human rights groups, who point to China’s recent crackdown on Tibetan dissenters.

“This is not about battling the torchbearers,” said Lhadom Tethong, executive director of Students for a Free Tibet, in a speech to the crowd outside the consulate. “This is about the Chinese government using the torch for political purposes. And we’re going to use it right back.”

Members of the San Francisco Bay Area’s large Chinese immigrant community were disappointed in the changes to the parade route, saying they were eager to show their support for the torch-runner and the Beijing Olympics.

“This is the first time China has had the Olympics. We should be proud of this,” said Ling Li, who immigrated from China eight years ago. “I took a day off work to be here.”

Authorities delayed the procession, then moved the torch to a police boat and shipped it to a location off the original six-mile parade route along the San Francisco Bay. Later, the route was shortened to three miles.

San Francisco police worried about possible confrontations over the torch after crowds of pro-Chinese parade-watchers began clashing with pro-Tibetan demonstrators. Several face-to-face shouting incidents erupted, although no arrests were reported.

The U.S. leg of the torch relay comes after violent clashes in London and Paris, where protesters repeatedly attempted to extinguish the flame. In Paris, police finally stopped the procession and moved the torch onto a bus.

This year’s torch relay is the longest in Olympic history, spanning 85,000 miles and 20 nations.

Top officials at the IOC were in Beijing yesterday and unavailable for comment. On the eve of the torch’s lighting ceremony last month, IOC President Jacques Rogge indicated that he anticipated protests, but did not specifically mention China’s conflict with Tibet.

“The IOC is undoubtedly respectful of human rights,” Mr. Rogge said. “The IOC respects [nongovernmental organization] and activist groups and their causes, and speaks regularly with them — but we are neither a political nor an activist organization.”

Former IOC Vice President Dick Pound said he was troubled that the Olympic torch would be used as a target of protesters.

“It’s disappointing to see something that’s really an important part of the peaceful and unifying nature of the games taken hostage by people who may have some sort of issue,” said Mr. Pound, who added that the protesters were “giving up the moral high ground” with some of their more aggressive tactics.

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