S.F. Mayor’s Office Responds to ACLU’s First Amendment Concerns Surrounding Olympic Torch Relay


For Immediate Release: March 26, 2008

SAN FRANCISCO – The Mayor’s Office responded today to a Public Records Act request filed by the ACLU of Northern California seeking information about the procedures the City intends to follow during public demonstrations expected to surround the passing of the Olympic Torch through San Francisco on April 9. 

The letter appears written to allay concerns that the city may decide to restrict the activity of protestors, or to keep the protest route secret, stating “the public is welcome to line the sidewalks along the torch relay route and to attend the opening and closing ceremonies.”

The letter does not indicate the planned route for the relay, but states that the opening ceremony is set to take place in McCovey Cove and the closing ceremony in Justin Herman Plaza.

According to ACLU-NC staff attorney Michael Risher:

“The Mayor’s letter is a very positive development and makes clear that San Francisco will respect the right to freedom of expression through peaceful protest.  Specifically, the Mayor’s Office has stated that protestors will be welcome to make their views known by holding signs and banners as they line the relay route and to gather en mass in areas near the opening and closing ceremonies.  

We hope that the city and the other entities involved in planning the torch relay will finalize and make public the details of the route as soon as possible so that everyone has sufficient time to prepare and plan for the event, and in order to avoid unnecessary confusion in the days surrounding this event.”

The following documents are available online:

• The two-page Mar. 26 letter from the Mayor’s Office

• The original Mar. 13 PRA request from the ACLU