Sports | San Francisco SF Mayor Takes Heat for Torch Dodge Rerouting Olympic flame relay enrages duped protesters By Jason Farago Posted Apr 10, 2008 7:28 AM CDT Copied Two pro-Tibet protesters are arrested by San Francisco police near Justin Herman Plaza during demonstrations held during the Beijing Olympic torch relay in San Francisco, Wednesday, April 9, 2008. (AP Photo/Darryl Bush) The San Francisco leg of the Olympic torch relay avoided some of the chaos that plagued London and Paris, but pro-Tibetan activists were fuming that Mayor Gavin Newsom rerouted the flame's path at the last minute to dodge protesters. "He did it so China can report they had a great torch run," one demonstrator complained to the San Francisco Chronicle. The city police chief said she had no choice but to reroute the torch to avoid scenes of "helmet-clad officers with batons pushing back protesters." Some protesters caught up with the diverted Olympic flame as the day went on, shouting "Shame on China!" as it passed. The Bay Area was the torch's only American stop; it now heads to Argentina. Read These Next It's a survival story fit for a sea shanty. Off-roading crash claims life of influencer couple Dee from the show What's Happening!! is dead at 60. For first time, SCOTUS is asked to overturn gay marriage ruling. Report an error