It’s a swell time to visit San Francisco. It’s my first time and everything going on has already been proven historic. Tomorrow, April 9th, the Olympic Torch will be carried through the streets to celebrate the upcoming summer games in Beijing. Yesterday, activists scaled the Golden Gate bridge to adorn it with banners in support of a Free Tibet. And today, hoards of Tibetans from all over the US and their supporters marched through the streets of Frisco showing solidarity and appealing to China to end human rights abuses in Tibet, among other requests–like releasing the Panchen Lama, and stopping the Olympic torch from traveling through Tibet.

Somehow, I got very lucky and was able to flock with the journalists for much of the day’s protest. Juggling a video camera in one hand and an SLR in the other, I managed to get some decent coverage. Then in the later part of the day, I showed my support for Tibetans with friends Marilyn and Manon by marching and attending the candlelight vigil in honor of hope for Tibet and all those who have lost their lives around the world in the struggle for independence. Desmond Tutu, who stood up against apartheid, among other courageous people, spoke at the vigil tonight. They offered inspiring words to an awed audience.

With that, I’ll leave you with a slideshow of some images from today’s events. Click on the screen if you want to see larger images. More to come after I attend the Olympic Torch Relay tomorrow. It’s exciting to see what will happen. Some funky precedents have been set in London and Paris.
Alison

Free Tibet!!