S.F. almost outwits Olympic torch Twitterati

A Tibetan demonstrator passes a supporter of the China Olympics at the planned starting point of the torch relay in San Francisco Wednesday.

(Credit: Hanna Sistek/CNET News.com)

SAN FRANCISCO--In a switcheroo that threw off hundreds of protesters and put Twitter and text-message alert systems to the test, city officials here decided to take the Olympic torch relay on a far different route Wednesday than had been previously announced.

The relay had been highly anticipated, largely because of security concerns related to protesters who--fueled by Web campaigns--came out in droves to oppose the Chinese government's plans to carry the torch through Tibet, or more generally, the government's overall human rights record.

As crowds of spectators and protesters awaited the torch along the city's Embarcadero and at the foot of the Market Street thoroughfare, the relay took off by bus in the opposite direction to Van Ness Avenue and then into the Marina District in the north part of the city, according to news reports. That set off a storm of Twitters--some of which were pasted onto this page at SFist--and a constant stream of text messages as people tried to figure out what was happening and which direction to head.

Chasing the torch through S.F.:
Click above image to watch video.

"We are reorganizing the protest, sending text messages with minute-by-minute updates on where the torches are," said Tawni Tidwell, a member of protest organizer SF Team Tibet. "People are using their cell phones, BlackBerrys, and PDAs. We are also updating media though our phones, sending pictures."

Tidwell added: "It would be really, really hard if we didn't have this. Can you imagine if the protesters in Lhasa had this technology? Witnesses could just send things in."

Of course, such forms of instant communication are only so reliable--I'm on an sms feed from SF Team Tibet and am still trying to sort out what's accurate and what's just rumor. It seems the planned closing ceremony was canceled and the torch is now enroute to the airport. (Followers are encouraged.)

CNET News.com's Hanna Sistek contributed to this report.

A screenshot of a Twitter sent by SF Team Tibet.

[Leria]

More and more they are trying to avoid controversy

And they are not going to do it until they RESCIND the permission that China has to host this years Olympics.

[MCOjerry]

I don't get it...

If so many people care about what's happening in Tibet, why don't
they actually do something about it. Protesting the Olympic Torch
run does nothing.

Why not go to Tibet and help the people or find something else
that will make an impact? China isn't going to listen to words.
Hell, they could pull their cash out out our economy and send us in
a tailspin.

[gsigas]

It is idiotic

I agree. These protestors are morons for involving the Olympics in their agenda. The Chinese government is willing to run over its own people with tanks so these protests will have no effet on them. They also consider Tibet part of their territory and are no more likely to give it up than the US would give up one its states because of 'international pressure' or 'protests'. It is a fantasy, short of them losing a war (and any war with China would result in millions of deaths) it just won't happen. You could cancel the Olympic games forever and it would have no real effect on China. The only people these current (olympic linked) protests will affect are the athletes.

[gsmiller88]

So, what's the point?

They changed the route the torch was to be carried at the last
minute to keep protestors at bay, which also kept non-protesting
spectators from seeing it, so why even continue the ceremony if no
one could see it?!

[baconstang]

Traffic.

It made for a fantastic traffic jam up Van Ness that nobody was
expecting.

[Draq Wraith]

Hahaha Cowards!!!

So what of the protest you miss the best places to protest the most. the Hall closet, your home electronics. and more.

Most of your toys folks are made in Taiwan. China considers this country to be owned by them as well.
China is making most of your goods.
The best place to protest is with your wallet.
And even it may be made in china.

So why are these folks Hiding the torch?
Do they truely have any backbone any more?
What is the point of making the relay if they are trying to hide it's trip?

It is a strange day and a strange footnote in history.

Hope the rest of the legs are not going to play hide the Olympic torch.
D~W