US News
Tutu, Gere, to protest; San Francisco alters torch route
Apr 8, 2008, 16:22 GMT
Three Demonstrators scaled the Golden Gate Bridge unfurling two banners in San Francisco, California, USA, 07 April 2008. EPA/MONICA M. DAVEY
San Francisco - The Olympic torch arrived in San Francisco early Tuesday as Mayor Gavin Newsom said the city was planning to change its path through the city to thwart a wave of protests against China's crackdown in Tibet.
Hundreds of police officers were on hand to protect the torch, and the pre-dawn arrival at the airport minimized protests. In Beijing, Chinese officials said the torch had been driven to an undisclosed location in the city.
Later Tuesday however numerous protests were planned including one at the city's United Nations Plaza led by actor Richard Gere and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
The procession through the Pacific coast city is the torch's only stop in the US on its strife-ridden journey around the globe ahead of the 2008 Beijing Games in August.
According to reports Tuesday in the US, Olympic officials are considering cancelling future legs of the tour in the face of demonstrations in London and Paris.
In San Francisco on Monday, activists scaled the Golden Gate Bridge to protest China's actions in Tibet while police cancelled leave to prepare for Wednesday's 10-kilometer relay along the city's waterfront. The prospect of mass protests led at least one runner to withdraw from the event, local reports said.
Newsom met with the Chinese ambassador to discuss security and said that the scenes in London and Paris 'obviously play a part in our security approach and will play a part in terms of our making any final decisions (on the route),' the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
'This is not a contained route, security-wise, and there are lots of opportunities for trouble,' added sergeant Neville Gittens, a spokesman for the San Francisco police. 'We are watching what's going on very closely and will make changes to our plans as we figure them out.'
On Monday, Hillary Clinton, the US senator seeking the Democratic Party's presidential nomination, called for US President George W Bush to boycott the opening ceremony in Beijing.
China has condemned the pro-Tibet protests at the torch relay in Paris and London and said it hoped such scenes would not recur.
The spokeswoman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Jiang Yu, said Tuesday that Beijing hopes that through cooperation with the US, the torch relay will be 'secure, successful and smooth.'
The Olympic torch was extinguished three times Monday in Paris as thousands of anti-China protesters disrupted its passage through the French capital.
'Their despicable activities tarnish the lofty Olympic spirit and challenge all the people loving the Olympic Games around the world,' Jiang said.
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Older Talkback
page: 1
You don't think Tutu has made enough of an effort in regards to the freedom of people on his own turf? We're talking about the same Desmond Tutu, right?
Hey Desmond, wanna see where I keep my gerbil?
Over the last 60 years over 1.2 million Tibetans have been massacred in cold blood by the Chinese military. Why has the world remained silent? Why?
China's human rights abuses are 'staggering': the detention of hundreds of thousands of people, including political activists, for 'reeducation' programs, and forced labor camps; and the liberal use of the death penalty in China -- including for political prisoners -- which makes China the site of 8 of every 10 government administered executions carried out in the world!
It is clear that the Communists can't be trusted at all and they have a bag full of tricks to fool not only Tibetans but the people of China with a state-controlled press. The solution is a free Tibet. There is no doubt that a sovereign Tibet would be a savior state not only for Tibetans but for all ethnic groups of China who have nowhere to go if they disagree with the CCP. A free Tibet would be such a free democratic heaven and haven.
Loi 1901. A.E.A.M.J.D. : Association d’Echange Afrique – Monde pour les Jeunes Diplômés. : Laissez-nous mieux vivre avec nos Diplômes. . Economie durable à nos deux pays.
27, rue du clos, 75020 Paris, France.
Email : jeunediplome@hotmail.com , aeamjd2001@yahoo.fr
00.33.06-18-28-15-83
Paris, Thursday 10th April 2008.
HUMAN RIGHTS SORRY
Object: Good for Human Right & China
Dear Citizens,
What happened in London on last Sunday 6th of April 2008 is nothing but Good For Human Rights and Our Leaders. They aware that we the citizens is strength of society. May this continue. A very big and sincere thanks to English people. You as well Paris citizens who followed the good example which London laid on Human Rights.
Most of our Leaders are after power while neglecting the Right and the Dignity in living. China business is all they are interested to convince and confuse public opinion , get China into. While over 50 years Tibet have been in suffering in China, China pretend International leaders make their Power, China make invest.
What happened in San Francisco seem to have the best record: To have a Leader of Faith who knows that being leader of faith does not mean been silent over injustice, ungodliness, inhumanity, corruption, fraud…to come in public to protest as English are exemplary the Africa is Leads the way: l am talking of the presence of Archbishop Desmond TUTU, he said not protesting against Chinese as people but Governors….for this China will certainly come for dialoguing for better citizenship.
Awaiting you, Your Grace Archbishop Desmond TUTU to take this message HOME to ZIMBABWE then to Africa as a whole. For Africans dies inhumation in Europe & in International countries because of their politics and in Africa because exploitation of our natural resources while imposing inhuman politics, confusing our leaders, leading our youths into: corruption, fraud, immortality, suffering, poverty, sickness, secret cults, illiteracy, ungodliness…, in the name of indignity in politics.
So to say, Sorry Human Rights, perhaps you are cause of all these inhumanity because you are badly applies or in hands of those who do not understand you. SORRY HUMAN RIGHTS and a sincere Thanks to the Citizens.
Thanks.
Miss Joyce IROKA.
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SP4: Well!Apr 8th, 2008 - 18:02:06
...now that Tutu and Gere are here!
Perhaps Mr. Tutu can go to Zimbabwe and have a greater effect on his own turf, with regards to freedoms for citizens there?????
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