Tuesday Events
On Tuesday, April 8, a Tibetan Freedom Torch will be carried through San Francisco starting at 10:00 a.m. at U.N. Plaza. Actor Richard Gere and Archbishop Desmond Tutu will attend a candlelight vigil at U.N. Plaza beginning at 6.
Beginning at 11 AM, human rights activists will begin gathering at UN Plaza to protest the Olympic Torch Run in S.F. At 1 PM, the group will head west to City Hall where there will be several speeches. After the speeches, marchers will head north on Polk Street to west on McAllister Street to north on Northbound Van Ness Avenue to west on Geary Street to south on Laguna to east on Geary.
There will be a two hour demonstration in front of the Chinese Consulate on Geary @ Laguna. Once the demonstration ends, the marchers will return to Civic Center via east on Geary to south on Starr King to east on O'Farrell to south on Southbound Van Ness Avenue to east on McAllister to south on Larkin and/or Hyde.
Later in the evening from 6 PM to 9 PM, there will be a candlelight vigil at UN Plaza.
Motorists can expect major delays in the area during the march. Police will try to keep at least one lane of traffic open throughout, but depending upon the size of the march, they may not be able to do so.
Wednesday Events
On Wednesday, a celebration of the Olympic Torch begins at 9:00 a.m. at Justin Herman Plaza. A group of Burmese monks will march across the Golden Gate Bridge at 9:30 and Tibetan protesters will gather at the Ferry Building at 10:00 a.m.
The torch relay begins at 1:00 p.m. at McCovey Covey behind AT&T Park. Eighty runners will carry it six miles up and down the Embarcadero.
Olympic Torch Relay Route through San Francisco:
View Google map
- McCovey Cove northbound to Third Street
- Third Street to the Embarcadero
- The Embarcadero to Jefferson Street
- Jefferson Street to Hyde Street
- Hyde Street to Beach Street
- Beach Street to Polk Street
- Polk Street to Bay Street
- Bay Street back to the Embarcadero
- The Embarcadero to Justin Herman Plaza for a concluding ceremony
Closures/Transit Info
Due to the Olympic Torch Run, Hwy 280 North at King Street will be closed approximately after morning commute at 9 AM until after the Torch Run has finished which is estimated to be at 4 PM. Motorists will be diverted to the 6th Street Off Ramp. Delays can be expected.
On Wednesday, April 9th at 1 PM, there will be an opening ceremony at McCovey Cove located at 3rd and Terry Francois Blvd. Soon after, the Olympic Torch Run will start. The route will be north on the Northbound Embarcadero to west on Jefferson Street to south on Hyde Street to west on Beach Street to south on Polk Street to east on Bay Street to south on the Southbound Embarcadero into Justin Herman Plaza for the ending ceremonies. The estimated time of the run is 1 and a half hours.
There will most likely be several protests along the way - the number, size and location are unknown at this time. Motorists can expect traffic delays during the event.
For real time traffic information, call 511 from any Bay Area County or go to click here.
For affects on SFMTA/Muni service, see click here or call 311.
