April 9, 2008
Olympic Torch Switcharoo
Pretty sneaky, Gavin.
The torch, as of 2 p.m., is over at Pine and Van Ness. The run is taking place over there now. Only security people are there and lucky pedestrians get to see it in action. Lots of Bay Quacker boat/buses near the flame.
Confusion blanketing the city today. This torch route is being made up as it goes along. Very San Francisco.
Heh.
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I just came in from standing around on EMB around Sansome/Battery/B'way. There are many pissed off tourists, etc, self included.
This is what a police state looks like.
Watching the army of SFPD protecting this empty symbol of unity makes me sick.
Not being from San Francisco, I hope that people there let their Mayor know he's made himself a willing thug for Chinese-style oppression. Not that the U.S. is one to talk.
Between the original delays and now this new clever route by the Gavster, you can pretty much expect this to be "Get hosed even more so by MUNI day" if you're relying on mass transit to get home today.
Meanwhile, in Iraq war protest news ... (*crickets*)
I was there, and I hate to agree with the hyperbolic Christoball, but it was pretty scary. I couldn't cross Van Ness at Sutter, walked up to Pine and heard nothing but cops shouting.
The torch run itself, of course, was totally meh.
I had no idea how much against the torch running I was until I saw this.
I'm watching this live on KGO online. Damn, I'd be pissed on the Embarcadero regardless of who you support.
No, Greg, you're going to get FUCKED by MUNI today because shit keeps breaking down at Embarcadero. Took me about an hour to get to work this morning (avg dwell time at the metro stops was ~3 mins), and about 90 minutes to get home last night because things kept getting stuck in the MMT. I don't know if anyone kept a screenshot, but around eleven this morning the MMT was lit up bright red on sfmunicentral.com. The "protesters" aren't going to have a significant impact upon the usually abysmal MUNI service.
In fact this whole "protest" is simply a rather flaccid gathering of disgruntled people. Is it the way in which the police have systematically moved the pro-Tibet folks aside? No. Is it the overwhelming Chinese propaganda? No. Is it the athletes caught in the middle? Nope.
It's that nobody is actually taking this shit seriously. You've got the pro-mainland Chinese and then everyone else. Save Darfur, Fuck bush, Save Burma, stop Pelosi, etc, etc. I'm surprised I didn't see a few pro-Zapatista types scattered about. Given how political the olympics have been historically, you'd think someone would take this seriously.
Sigh.
Oh, and one more thing. How many damn helicopters do we have to have here? Go away!!
A willing thug for Chinese-style oppression? More like a willing recipient of tourism dollars.
After spending about an hour and a half at the Embarcadero I am so happy to say that I voted for the Power Exchange guy over Newsom! Way to put your tail between your legs!!
Lets all be happy that in a few hours, maybe things will return to normal. Whatever that is.
The route is chosen in the same manner that the critical mass route is decided.
This is all so nothing.
The CNN.com live feeds are pretty damn good. I'm currently watching cops shove people around. It's pretty intense.
This all could've been avoided if the IOC didn't pick the most controversial of the finalists...
Also: On one hand, Newsom's a coward, on the other, I have to hand it to him for essentially planting a fake route and taking another one.
"Watching the army of SFPD protecting this empty symbol of unity makes me sick."
I'm with you. The visual of all of those matching officers in gear lined up on both sides of the flame, running in unison is really creepy to me.
Let's watch the next board meeting on SF Gov TV and see what happens during public comment. That'll be amusing.
someone remind me what the big benefit of having this thing here in the first place is?
I saw the torch in LA in 2004, and it was kinda boring...Sly Stallone picked up the torch in Venice Beach, ran a few blocks and handed it off to some other guy and that was pretty much it.
Also, also, also! Does anyone have a picture of the guy with the "NO MSG!" sign? That was the best thing ever.
What tourism dollars? This is what you call a tourist attraction?
The "willing thug" line may be a bit much, but I don't think there's any exaggeration of the display of force on the part of your Mayor and the SF government.
Thousands of cops, millions of dollars to protect the flame. From what? Maybe someone grabs it and puts it out, but that small threat is enough for the powers that be to shorten the route, change it ad hoc, line the runners with motorcycle cops, cops with shotguns, and essentially demonstrate the supremacy of a propaganda stunt over demonstrators and free-speech.
Sorry, if that makes me angry.
um, yeah, this is kind of the definition of a tourist attraction...
The embarcadero was probably never the intended route, and they wanted it to cross the Golden Bridge the whole time...
pretty slick
Word from the wires: Closing ceremony for SF torch not to be at Justin Herman plaza.
AP reports the closing ceremonies have been moved to an undisclosed location.
How many countries was the US occupying during the Atlanta and LA Olympics? Where were all you protesters then?
I love how the Comical described the protests as "massive". As if! I stood out on the Embarcadero for about an hour and that was the most anemic protest I've ever seen in this town. I wanted RIOTS, mang! We need to show Paris and London that we're a WORLD CLASS city too!
I'm annoyed with Gruesome Newsom for wasting my valuable time by relocating the relay to the oppression loving Marina. Clearly he was counting on the well known vapidity and grotesque materialistic attitudes of his fellow Marina denizens to help counteract political demonstrations, Free Mumia booths, roving Hippie dreamcatcher vendors, and other associated demonstration regulars. Clever monkey, that Gavin, though prolly Bumblebee's idea. Regardless, I think I will be sending him a bill for the hour of my life I'll never get back.
fizzy foo... darling... sweetheart... two wrongs don't make a right.
besides, with atlanta we were busy lynching pedobear.
This is what a police state looks like.
With zero arrests. Our police state out here only needs to look at you funny.
Anyway, I wish San Francisco had just declined to be part of the torch-route to begin with but since they didn't I don't have an issue with Newsom changing the route at the last minute--confrontation was avoided and anyone who claims that the protestors on either side didn't get their fair share of attention/airtime regardless, much less being denied free speech because of the change, is just being ridiculous.
I'm watching CNN in another state, and I'm relieved that it appears no one was hurt. Isn't that the main priority for everyone? Non-violence and such?
Obviously Chief Fong decided that the protestors brought the fuel and the air for a fire, and they weren't going to willingly provide the ignition for a fire and a violent black eye for the City.
No one can justify sacrificing human safety for any reason - NONE.
And about Board of Supervisor meetings - I wish they'd move the time to 6pm instead of 2pm. 2pm meetings disenfranchise working folks who may have an opinion too.
@Rincon Hill & Joel: What a relief to see two sensible posts on this topic. Kudos.
As so many of you posted in the days leading up to the torch relay claiming "its gonna be hell on earth," "the sh*ts gonna go down," and "be careful out there," how can you then be shocked and angered that the mayor chose to change the route to avoid the maelstrom? If we were really headed for the apocalypse, as so many of you predicted, would changing the route to avoid it be the logical choice?
Be upset all you want about the City's decision to support the relay in the first place, but don't be so jilted by the decision to change the route.
BTW - Peskin's incredibly ridiculous, over-the-top statement wins my award for unintentional comedy today. What a dumb-ass that guy is.
Why have the torch run through the city if nobody was allowed to watch it? The only reason was to aid and abet the Chinese propaganda machine. If Gavin was afraid of protest, cancel the damm torch run, do not have it going through empty streets that makes it look to the chinese people on state run tv that we are all chipper and happy about the damm thing. He should have canceled the event if public safety was an issue, not what he did, shame on him.
@greggers: Thanks for that, what an apt comparison!
Headed to the airport now, eh?
Trumpet Guy is gonna be disappointed. I saw him at the EMB tooting away to the smooth sounds of Smashmouth played by a cover band.
And that was the coolest thing I saw!
What a disappointment...
I have no problem with the route change, but I'm rolling my eyes whenever I hear the officials calling the torch relay a success. Perhaps it was, in the sense that no one got near the torch, but the only success here was the protest. No one's talking about the relay except within the framework of the protest.
It's sort of like staying locked in one's apartment all weekend and crowing about not getting mugged.
I assume that Gavin and half the board of supes will be taking a junket to the games anyway?
I saw hundreds of SFPD lounging around Justin Herman. Expect weak China pandering Gavin to start whining about the City's budget when he is the one who has wasted thousand of dollars today with this foolishness. He wanted to be in the news. He is. Hopefully all in CA will remember this day when Gavin decides to run for another office. Perhaps he sought advice from Mamma Feinstein for this embarrassing charade.
Actually, I'm pretty sure that most of the city will be grateful that he took decisive action to mostly avoid what would've been an ugly spectacle and at worst a violent confrontation.
Very well said Joel ...