The City by the Bay has already experienced a taste of what is to come when the Olympic Torch passes through on Wednesday, April 09 en route to Beijing. Many protests and rallies against China’s human rights positions have begun.

Local officials are eager to support the free speech of its citizens, but also realize the necessity of heightened security along the route, especially after out-of-control protests occurred in other cities like London and Paris.

Nathan Ballard is a spokesman for Mayor Gavin Newsom. He said in a statement, “We are trying to accomplish two goals here. One is to protect the right to free speech and the other is to ensure public safety, and here in San Francisco we are good at both of those things.”

Free Tibet, an organization that campaigns for an end to China’s occupation of Tibet, held protests on Tuesday near City Hall, and then marched to the Chinese Consulate.

Lhadon Tethong, executive director of Students for a Free Tibet, told protestors, “This is not about us battling the torchbearers. This is about the Chinese government using the torch for political purposes. And we're going to use it right back.”

Richard Gere, Hollywood’s most outspoken Buddhist, was present at the demonstration. He, along with Archbishop Desmond Tutu, called upon the U.S. government to boycott the 2008 opening ceremonies. “What the Chinese are doing, this is not an athletic game to them,” Gere said. “This is putting a stamp of approval on repression and human rights abuses.”

Opposite the “Team Tibet” (as their T-shirts read) protestors were red-clad pro-China flag wavers. San Francisco has the largest China Town outside of China and many Chinese-Americans are expected to be present during the torch relay.

Security fears have already caused one torchbearer to drop out, a 14-year-old girl. However, two-time Olympian Marilyn King intends to finish her leg of the relay, despite concerns. King was a participant in the 1972 Munich games that were bombed by terrorists. She also lost her chance to go to the 1980 Olympics because of the U.S. boycott of the Moscow games.

Chinese officials are insistent that the international torch relays will go on despite protests, however some International Olympic Committee members have suggested the relay be cut short. Meetings between Beijing organizers and the IOC are expected within the next several days.

The Olympic flame will pass through 23 cities in 5 continents on its 130-day tour. It will end with a tour throughout China before arriving in Beijing to kick off the 2008 Olympics.