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FREE TIBET PROTESTORS SCALE SAN FRANCISCO GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE

SHAFT

Three people protesting China’s human rights
record and the impending arrival of the Olympic
torch climbed up the Golden Gate Bridge in
San Francisco, Monday, April 7, 2008, and tied
Tibetan flags and two banners to its cables.

Three protesters scaled the Golden Gate Bridge on Monday where four others were arrested in a likely precursor to large planned protests when the Olympic torch arrives Wednesday in San Francisco.

Those scaling the bridge, carrying a “Free Tibet” banner, are members of the group Students for a Free Tibet, said group spokesman Tenzin Dasang.

The banner reads, “One World. One Dream. Free Tibet.”

Officer Julie Powell of the California Highway Patrol told CNN authorities closed one northbound lane at the bridge.

Dasang said he has heard of many people planning to protest in San Francisco against China’s human rights record.

“We want it to be peaceful. But it will be large,” said Dasang, 22, during a phone interview in which he said he was near the bridge. “I heard from Tibetans that now live all over the U.S. and even abroad who are coming here.”

The flame is on a 130-day journey that will take it through through 23 cities on five continents and then throughout China, culminating at the Olympics opening ceremony in Beijing on August 8.

The small San Francisco protest comes the same day as a massive demonstration in Paris disrupted the torch relay many times.

In Paris, police had to cut the Olympic torch relay short Monday amid massive protests against China’s human rights record, French police said.

The torch was scheduled to travel 17 miles, past Paris City Hall, but that stop and others were called off after the protests.

The torch only made it through about 10 miles of its scheduled journey. It was then driven by bus to its final destination, where it was displayed again during a public ceremony at a stadium.

Authorities had to play hide-and-seek with the Olympic torch during much of the route, placing it on a bus at least twice during a sometimes chaotic relay route.

China has come under international criticism because of its crackdown last month on protesters calling for democratic freedoms and self-rule in Tibet and neighboring Chinese provinces.

Chinese authorities have denied those allegations. U.S. and other Western leaders have called on China to provide civil rights and freedoms to those in Tibet and to enter peaceful discussions aimed at resolving the crisis.

SCALING THE BRIDGE

See Related: BEIJING OLYMPICS 2008

Jennifer Siebel
Women’s Independent Cinema
Founder

Women’s Independent Cinema


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