After wild goose chase,Olympic torch relay ends ambiguously

Protesters engulf an Olympic torch event coach as it makes a turn off of Embarcadero.
The driver of the bus refused to stop almost running over the protesters.
Photos by Luke Thomas

By Kamala Kelkar and Jesse Dungan

April 9, 2008

Although many Olympic torch followers were still combing San Francisco in search of the famous flame, the relay route ended just before 4 p.m. today and the torch was taken to San Francisco International Airport, California Highway Patrol Sgt. Trent Cross said.

The closing ceremony for the Beijing Olympic torch that was scheduled to be held this afternoon at Justin Herman Plaza was canceled, said David Perry, a spokesman for the event.

Torch followers went on a wild goose chase to follow the relay that left pedestrians hanging at Marina and Lyon streets waiting for some kind of conclusion to the run.

Originally the relay was supposed to go along the Embarcadero, but around 1:30 p.m. was diverted to Van Ness and Bush streets, numerous blocks from the original route.

Protesters and supporters alike took vans, cabs, buses and bikes to try and find the route on Van Ness Avenue.

“I’d just like to touch someone who saw the torch,” said Honne Heller, who took a cab and a bus after waiting at Justin Herman Plaza for hours.

When the relay seemed to have ended at the entrance to the Golden Gate Bridge, protesters and supporters crowded the streets that were lined with police.

Chants of “Free Tibet now” and other chants in support of China echoed throughout the area for about half an hour.

The one sentiment protestors and supporters seemed to share was a disappointment over the ambiguous end to the relay.

The San Francisco Municipal Transit Agency announced that metro service on the K-Ingleside/T-Third and the N-Judah were restored between the Embarcadero station and Fourth and King streets by 3:50 p.m.

Muni service for the San Francisco Giants game is expected to be normal. But regular cable car service continued to be suspended with shuttles in place for all routes.

The F-Market service on Market Street between the Embarcadero and Van Ness Avenue also remained suspended.