The Torch has left the building
Yes, in case you missed it, which was not hard to do… Some shots from the scene at the ballpark. And a soundbite from Aaron Peskin.
“Gavin Newsom runs San Francisco the way the premier of China runs his country – secrecy, lies, misinformation, lack of transparency and manipulating the populace,” Peskin said. “He misled supporters and opponents of the run. People brought their families and their children, and (mayoral officials) hatched a cynical plan to please the Bush State Department and the Chinese government because of the incredible influence of money. SFGate
Update: The Mayor responds to criticism of his decision with these surreal statements:
“We felt it was in everyone’s best interest that we augment the route,” Newsom said. “I believe people were afforded the right to protest and support the torch. You saw that in the streets. They were not denied the ability to protest.” SF Gate
Mayor Gavin Newsom told The Associated Press that the well choreographed fake-out was prompted by the size and behaviour of the crowds amassing outside AT&T Park, site of the relay’s opening ceremony. There was “a disproportionate concentration of people in and around the start of the relay,” he said in a phone interview, while travelling in a caravan that accompanied the torch. The Canadian Press
The rest of my shots on Flickr.
[…] (at least to me), it wasn’t Twitter (if News.com has it right).SF Metroblogging’s “Torch has left the building” includes a particularly scathing comment by San Francisco Supervisor Aaron Peskin about Mayor […]
I took photos of the protest today.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thomashawk/sets/72157604464317473/
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