SF Protesters Roast Mayor Over Olympic Torch

The Olympic torch arrives Wednesday in San Francisco, and Mayor Gavin Newsom is already being flamed in advance of expected protests. Tens of thousands are expected to fill the streets of the "protest-happy city" to condemn China's treatment of Tibet, reports Newsweek.  Newsom's plan to require demonstrators to register for permits has drawn criticism, and city supervisors are clamoring for Newsom to sign a resolution criticizing Chinese policy.

"I'm not obliged to be told by politicians how I should speak," retorts the mayor. Concerns are mounting that feisty protesters could become violent. "Disagree, but don't be disagreeable," Newsom cautioned activists. "I don't want to see people in riot gear." He reminds the Left Coast: “This is not China's torch; this is the Olympic torch.” (More San Francisco stories.)