Olympic torch protesters scale Golden Gate Bridge

[fed-up]

Source: Associated Press

Olympic torch protesters scale Golden Gate Bridge

By Associated Press
Article Launched: 04/07/2008 10:47:22 AM PDT

Three protesters are climbing up the suspension cables of the Golden Gate Bridge as part of an advance protest to the coming Olympic torch relay.

The protesters are wearing helmets and one of is carrying a suitcase with him. All three of the protesters are tethered together.

One of them has pulled out a Tibetan flag.

Authorities are pushing reporters back from the scene.

Read more: http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_8840403

---

traffic may be sticking for those headed to Marin, yeah protestors!

http://sfist.com/2008/04/07/breaking_news_t_1.php

April 7, 2008
Breaking News: Tibet Protesters Scaling Golden Gate Bridge

Currently three protesters are climbing the cables of the Golden Gate Bridge, attempting to hang up a sign on the bridge in protest over the Olympic torch run through San Francisco. Check out KPIX's live cam for what's going down right now. Yikes--be careful, protesters!
http://cbs5.com/webcams/26.567212.html?wmid=0

We'll update with more info as it comes in.

Update (11 a.m.): The three protesters, according to CBS 5, are still on the bridge. One is carrying a suitcase, they're all "tethered together," and one of the protesters has pulled out a "Tibetan flag." Students for a Free Tibet has claimed responsibility for the act. (Yesterday, four members of the activist group affixed a 74-foot sign on the Westminster Bridge in London that read, "One World, One Dream: Free Tibet 2008.")



edited again to add info from
http://cbs5.com/local/golden.gate.bridge.2.693783.html

The California Highway Patrol has detained several people on the walkway near the protest.

One northbound lane of the bridge is closed due to demonstrators who are climbing the poles of the bridge, according to the CHP.

The bridge's sergeant's office reported that northbound traffic is backed up in the area.

The incident was reported to the CHP about 10:25 a.m., CHP Officer Tracy Hoover said.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

1. I just heard the news here...

and I have to say, Wednesday is going to be VERY interesting! I am heading to the torch starting point at the ballpark -- I can only imagine what is going to be happening along the route.

[GodlessBiker]

2. It's great to see world-wide action on this.

[Kaleko]

22. Yes! Finally.

With a Free Tibet sticker on my car, I've had my windows smashed 3 times already in a certain area of a town I won't name.

It's good to see these protests take a more urgent form.

[Pachamama]

3. Watching it live on our local station!!! Right on!

They have several large Tibetan Flags streaming and large signs that say "FREE TIBET 08" and another I couldn't read exactly....

Me and the Pachababies and 4 other families are going to protest on Wednesday downtown and hold signs up and prayer flags....

:applause:

Its going to get real good on Wednesday...I was very happy to hear about the protests in France today too....The world is speaking out against China and its appalling human rights abuses against Tibetans and Darfur...

[Pachamama]

4. "Free Tibet '08" and "One World - One Dream - Freetibet.org"

:applause:

[CottonBear]

5. All three have huge Tibetan flags. Some bridge workers jsut spoke to one of the protestors

but he didn't climb down. The workers are in a type of cable car that goes up and down the vertical cables.

[Betsy Ross]

6. K&R! n/t

[Lost4words]

7. God bless em!

[truthisfreedom]

8. That'll drive the administration batty. They can't stand not being in total control of everything.

I hope bush is being kept abreast of every last little tidbit.

[woundedkarma]

9. China is evil, Tibet should be free but...

I worry about the lives of the protesters. Read it again... three people are climbing a big bridge with a suitcase.

I'm surprised the Department of Home Security doesn't have snipers out there shooting at them. Our government likes to call the most non-threatening situations DIRE and immediate threats.

[charlie and algernon]

21. the protesters are idiots

you don't climb a major bridge with a suitcase. Sure, we know NOW that the suitcase had a banner in it, but what happens if the next climber has a bomb in that suitcase? Police can't take that chance of allowing someone to climb, with a suitcase, a bridge that thousands of cars use daily.

[ronnykmarshall]

24. Very good point.

I didn't think about that.

[YDogg]

27. exactly

[maxsolomon]

39. Everyone knows you only climb with large backpacks

bombs don't fit in them. only banners.

:sarcasm:

1. police don't "allow" anyone to climb the bridge.

2. you don't need to carry anything to have a bomb - you've heard of the suicide vest?

[Barrett808]

10. Photo:

http://sfist.com/2008/04/07/breaking_news_t_1.php

[wordpix]

37. Nice shot, and thank you, protesters!

[Hell Hath No Fury]

11. Still live as of...

12:05!

I am watching it on TV -- they are reporting these are experienced climbers, traffic is moving along.

They are talking to one of the climbers right now from the bridge! He's one a cell phone -- identified as Laurel Sutherlin. He;s waving at the camera as they interview him --

He mentioned thay are going to be wrapping it up soon, taking down the banners and coming down. Repoter saying they will be arrested wehn they descend and probably charged with felonies.

[Cronus Protagonist]

16. How can that be a felony?

Surely it's merely a misdemeanor.

[OwnedByFerrets]

19. In the "new" Murika.....

a felony is anything they say it is.:mad: :puke:

[Hell Hath No Fury]

20. It was changed -

It was a misdemeanor but made a felony after a World AIDS Day event a few years back where a huge banner was hung across the bridge deck -- that was just one of many bridge protests/events, which have included Woody Harrelson hanging from one of the towers (iirc).

[Betsy Ross]

12. Phone call from protestor on the bridge

Live call to CBS affiliate. Says they are taking the banners down and will come off the bridge cables.

[Squatch]

13. ...

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[CottonBear]

14. The banners are being taken down but the Tibetan flags are still flying! n/t

[damntexdem]

15. Hey, that could be made a new event!

Yes, time to place a Summer Olympics in the Bay Area!

[eggplant]

17. They should make protesting an olympic event

oh, wait... ;-)

[Binka]

18. They Hid Their Gear In A "Baby-Buggy"

Very clever!! Go Go Go!

[ronnykmarshall]

23. That is both brave and crazy!

I would be scared to death. But I give them the greatest props for doing this.

[Zachstar]

26. God bless these brave people!

China you watching!? Your gig is up! You are exposed to the world!

[pink-o]

40. It has been very windy today!

Riding my bike across the bridge on days like today is scary enough! Those tower-scalers have all my kudos and it was for a great cause!

[liberal N proud]

25. It could prove to be a pretty ugly Olympics for China

Don't know how much they will clamp down on protest in China. If they do, it will be known the world wide this time.

WOW!

[YDogg]

28. I'll bet ratings will be up. More dough for commercials?

:shrug:

[liberal N proud]

29. Hard to say

I know that I will not go out of my way to watch sports that I wouldn't otherwise cross the street for.

[Zachstar]

30. Way down actually.

I am not the only one boycotting watching the Olympics by a LONG LONG LONG shot.

The world needs to punish China for what it has done to Tibet and it's people. Yet the leaders are too afraid to because of the fucking trade deals.

However the people together can say FUCK NO to China and their polluted and in my view blood soaked 2008 Olympics!

[wordpix]

35. good idea for corporations to BOYCOTT ads for the Olympics - the Chinese, our creditors

:puke: for our $9.2 trillion debt. Thank you BushCo! :puke: :sarcasm:

[Pachamama]

36. I support our Olympians (all Olympians) but my family plans to not watch these Olympics, nor attend

them. My husband is going to be in China at the time of the Olympics and is not going to attend any events (he's there on business). In the past decade, he and I have attended each Olympics and we have plans to attend the 2010 in Vancouver....but not these ones and we will not patronize them in anyway with money or watching them on TV. I will happily read the results of events in the Newspaper and on the web, but will not in any way allow myself to support the Chinese and their efforts to profit from the Olympics (or anyone else who does).

[DuaneBidoux]

31. And so what is it exactly? We support communist China for cheap toys?

[DuaneBidoux]

32. Can you imagine the right wing protests if they didn't get cheap toys for Corptocracy?

[Zachstar]

33. What protests?

Men in suits with thugs hired to try to form a protest?

China has disgusted just about everyone else.

The trade deals with China and other nations that have such labor conditions RUIN the economy.

If suddenly the crap from china was not so "cheap" American businesses might stand a chance again.

Even the zipper is heavily imported.

[DuaneBidoux]

38. Okay...I'm an idiot...but didn't you just say the same thing!? Could be my bad.

[wordpix]

34. "CA Hwy Patrol has detained several people on the walkway near the protest"-now it's illegal to walk

on the walkway, just because protesters are nearby? :crazy: :silly:

Geesh, what is this country coming to and where are Ahnold and the ACLU?