舊金山市長：出於安全考量，北京奧運聖火接力舊金山路線可能改道

SF Torch Route May Change, Security Increases
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS 5 / AP / BCN) ― San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom said Monday that the route traveled by the Beijing Olympic torch during Wednesday's relay run through the city may be adjusted, and security increased, as a result of stepped up protest efforts.

"We anticipate problems here," Newsom told CBS 5 just hours after three people climbed up suspension cables on the Golden Gate Bridge to protest the torch run by hanging pro-Tibetan banners from the famed span.

Newsom and the San Francisco Police Department said they reserved the right to adjust the flame's route if necessary.

"We will continue to adapt," the mayor told CBS 5. "This route is not fixed. It will continue to change and it will change up until the torch is passed —and even during the middle of the route."

On Monday, local government and law enforcement conferred in last-minute preparations to keep expected rallies under control.

City leaders watched events around the world to develop a plan striking a balance between protesters' rights to express their views and San Francisco's ability to host a safe torch ceremony

The Olympic torch run through Europe on its way to San Francisco has been plagued by obstacles.

Monday's ceremony in Paris was cancelled after the torch had to be repeatedly extinguished so security could safely take it away to its destination at the National Parliament on a bus. Chinese authorities ordered athletes to cease carrying the torch after pro-Tibetan protestors caused chaos throughout that city.

The same anti-Chinese riots were seen over the weekend during the London torch run, where 37 people were arrested.

The torch comes through San Francisco on Wednesday afternoon en route to Beijing, which is hosting the Summer Games in August.

The California Highway Patrol and San Francisco police will provide air and ground support for the Bay Area event. The air space above the city will also be restricted during the relay, a federal aviation spokesman said.

The restrictions, which will be in effect between 12:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. Wednesday, will apply to airspace from ground level to 3,000 feet in areas around the route, according to FAA spokesman Ian Gregor.

Firefighters said they would have extra staff and ambulances along the relay route in case of emergencies.

Nathan Ballard, a spokesman for Newsom, dismissed rumors Monday night that the relay would be canceled. Newsom met with Chinese Ambassador Zhou Wenzhong earlier in the day to discuss security measures for the relay, Ballard said.

"It was a good meeting and they discussed their shared desire to try to limit the kind of chaos that we have seen in London and Paris," he said.

U.S. Olympic Committee Chairman Peter Ueberroth said in a statement the event was "an important moment for the city to show its character, hospitality and commitment to peace and tolerance."

"It must provide a proper forum for the peaceful expression of opinions and dissent. And it must safely and respectfully welcome the flame and honor the U.S. athletes and other participants who will carry the torch," Ueberroth said.

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who did not plan to attend the torch ceremony, said he defended protesters' right to "show how displeased they are with what China is doing with Tibet," but does not support a boycott of the games' opening ceremony in China.

"Sports should not be used in order to go and start to do diplomacy," he said.

In spite of preparations, the tumult around flame left at least one of the Bay Area's torchbearers worried.

Lorri Coppola, a champion racewalker whose body is being slowly shut down by Lou Gehrig's disease, or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, has met with the Dalai Lama in the past, and understands the protesters' motives.

"They are doing it in the free countries because they know what might happen should they try to protest in China!" she wrote by e-mail, as the disease has cost her the ability to speak.

But ALS has left her weak, and she's afraid of getting hurt if activists are out of control.

"I am concerned about my safety as I am not as strong as others due to ALS," she wrote. "To create damage to property or danger to other people is just as bad as the human rights violations they are protesting."

The relay is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. Wednesday with an opening ceremony at McCovey Cove. The route is tentatively supposed to proceed north to Third Street, the Embarcadero, Jefferson Street, Hyde Street, Beach Street, Polk Street, Bay Street and back to the Embarcadero for a concluding ceremony at Justin Herman Plaza.