Breaking News: Tibet Protesters Scale Golden Gate Bridge
Currently three protesters are climbing the cables of the Golden Gate Bridge, attempting to hang up a sign on the bridge in protest over the Olympic torch run through San Francisco, which is scheduled to make its only U.S. run in San Francisco on Wednesday. Check out KPIX's live cam for what's going down right now. Yikes--be careful, protesters!
Update (1:38 p.m.) : The protesters scurried down the cables, were promptly arrested by CHP officers. Local media outlets have inundated our inbox with link requests, so: you got 'em. For interviews with the protesters, check out NBC 11 and KPIX.
Update (1 p.m.): Two military fighter jets (gray jets, not of the Blue Angel variety) just flew over the city, seen from outside SFist HQ. Practice for Wednesday's torch run? To "protect and serve"? Or...? (Jets arrived for the Giants opener, reports a commenter. [Please forgive our alarmism!] Thought only the Blue Angels did that? Strange.)
Update (12:34 p.m.): Our sister site, Shanghaiist, is live-blogging the Olympic torch protests happening right now in Paris, France.
Update (12:24 p.m.): Cars are backed up into the Sunset on Park Presidio and 19th Ave.
Update (12:10 p.m.): They still remain on the bridge. Before scaling the cables, it seems, the three managed to just...walk along the walkway and climb up the famed bride with relative ease and no security presence.
Oh, and the protesters hid their flags, banners harnesses, and other gear in a "baby buggy" before heading up the Golden Gate. Very clever.
Update (11:51 a.m.): More flags are being put up on the vertical cables. The three protesters--one man, two women--still remain. Newcasters are desperate to know "how this could have happened?"
If you don't have to go to the Golden Gate Bridge, don't. It's heavily congested. Obviously.
Update: (11:42): Nope, all three climbers are staying put. Those descending the suspension cables right now are just bridge workers. This will go on for a while.
KGO is reporting that seven people were arrested so far with regard to this protest.
Update (11:33 a.m.): One guy seems to be slowly descending the bridge. The other two don't seem to be moving. All three are reportedly expert rock climbers. (Hillary Clinton, by the way, just called for Bush to boycott the Olympic opening ceremonies.)
Update (11:30 a.m.): The Exploratorium's roof cam has live shots of the protest currently in progress.
Update (11:22 a.m.): Two messages unfurled: "One World, One Dream: Free Tibet '08" (same as yesterday's London sign) and " Free Tibet." A Tibetan flag has also been placed underneath the two large banners. Four helicopters are circling above the scene.
They're on the east side of the bridge -- the bay side. Traffic on bridge is hardly moving at all.
Update (11 a.m.): The three protesters, according to CBS 5, are still on the bridge. One is carrying a suitcase, they're all "tethered together," and one of the protesters has pulled out a "Tibetan flag." Students for a Free Tibet has claimed responsibility for the act. (Yesterday, four members of the activist group affixed a 74-foot sign on the Westminster Bridge in London that read, "One World, One Dream: Free Tibet 2008.")