If you're going to San Francisco...

Last Modified: 09 Apr 2008
By: James Blake

Richard Gere leads the free-Tibet protests in San Francisco ahead of the latest leg of the Olympic Torch Relay. James Blake reports.

The protests have started early in San Francisco. The tour of the Olympic torch, which is fast turning into a travelling fiasco, moves to the American city later today.

Last night thousands including Hollywood star Richard Gere and Archbishop Desmond Tutu turned out for a pro-Tibet vigil.

And the PR effort isn't doing much better inside China, earlier today a group of protesting monks stormed a media tour in the country's western's provinces.

Questions are also being raised as to exactly who the Chinese officials in blue escorting the torch are? In London the Chinese embassy claimed it doesn't have details of their background.

But it's emerged that the men were recruited from the elite Chinese People's armed police. This morning a spokesperson for the International Olympic Committee told Channel 4 News it was not concerned about those revelations even though the same police organisation have been responsible for the recent crackdown in Tibet.

The Australian prime minister was speaking in China this lunchtime, showing off his Mandarin. He has said the police guards won't be allowed at the Olympic procession in Australia - and said he plans to have a straightforward discussion with China's leaders over the recent violence in Tibet.