Supervisors hear extensive public comment on Olympics torch route and human-rights concerns; route transparency resolution referred

The Board of Supervisors heard a large public-comment block focused on the Beijing Olympic torch and human-rights concerns in China. A resolution brought by supervisors (described in the record as supporting public access to information about the Olympic torch route) was referred for further consideration rather than voted on at the hearing.

Supervisor Daley introduced the referral request, saying citizens deserved to know the proposed route and the city's criteria for permitting assemblies and demonstrations tied to the torch. He linked the request to concerns raised by the ACLU about transparency. The clerk recorded that "That item will be referred."

More than two dozen speakers used the public-comment period to press the supervisors to act. Speakers included community members, human-rights advocates and people identifying themselves as Falun Gong practitioners; several recounted allegations of human-rights abuses in Tibet and mainland China and urged the board to support the Human Rights Torch Relay or to make a public statement opposing the Chinese government's record.

Representative excerpts from the record: Mary Chen said she came "to ask supervisor to support Chris Daly's initiated human rights torch resolution," citing concern for human rights in China and Tibet. Another commenter said San Francisco's attention could influence China because of the city's international profile; one speaker told the board the city had a unique opportunity because "the 3 torches come together" in San Francisco. Multiple speakers described alleged abuses, including reports of organ harvesting and the arrest or mistreatment of dissidents; those assertions were raised in public testimony, not as formal findings by the board.

Board members acknowledged the volume of testimony and referred the resolution and related requests for more information. The record shows the item was to be "referred," and no final roll-call vote on a substantive resolution happened at the March 25 meeting. Several supervisors said they would bring the matter back for further committee consideration.

Clarifying details: the item was introduced as a "resolution supporting public access to information regarding the Olympic torch route through San Francisco" and the transcript records the measure as referred rather than adopted. Many public commenters requested that supervisors support a separate Human Rights Torch Relay and urged the board to use the city's platform to raise human-rights concerns with the Chinese government and international audiences.