User:BrokenSphere/Gallery/Events/2008 Olympic Torch Relay in San Francisco

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Background

The torch for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing made its only North American stop in San Francisco on April 9, 2008. The City revealed a week before that the relay would start at McCovey Cove near AT&T Park at 13:00 PST, head up The Embarcadero and return to Justin Herman Plaza near the Ferry Building for the closing ceremonies at 15:30 PST. As a result of the disruptions caused by protesters at the torch's two prior stops in London and Paris and because of the number of protesters gathered at the starting point of the relay, the City decided to make a sudden, last minute change in route. This resulted in the torch passing through San Francisco on a totally different route that bypassed the thousands of protesters and spectators who gathered around The Embarcadero and Justin Herman Plaza in anticipation of seeing it. The closing ceremony was canceled and an alternate one held at San Francisco International Airport before the torch left for its next stop at Buenos Aires.

I was at or around Justin Herman Plaza from about 13:00 PST until 17:00 PST in anticipation of seeing the torch and took just over 300 pictures. Some of them are presented here and arranged by subject/location.

Along The Embarcadero

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  Protesters gathered along the southbound lanes
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  Spectators gathered along the southbound lanes
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  Spectators and protesters gathered along the southbound lanes
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  The southbound lanes
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  Spectators and protesters at the northbound lanes
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  Spectators gathered along the southbound lanes
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  A spectator climbs over a barricade erected along the southbound lanes to get to the northbound side
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  A crosswalk just south of the Ferry Building open at the time to pedestrian traffic
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  A section of the southbound lanes of The Embarcadero just south of the crosswalk directly in front of the Ferry Building, facing north
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  A section of the southbound lanes of The Embarcadero just south of the crosswalk directly in front of the Ferry Building, facing south
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  A crosswalk just south of the one directly in front of the Ferry Building, facing east
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  People heading north along the northbound lanes of The Embarcadero
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  People heading north
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  People heading north
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  People in the northbound lanes
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  Pro-China protesters in front of the Ferry Building
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  People in front of the Ferry Building
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  People in front of the Ferry Building
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  Pro-China protesters in front of the Ferry Building
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  People in front of the F Market & Wharves streetcar stop across from the Ferry Building
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  People and pro-Chinese protesters in front of the Ferry Building
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  Pro-Chinese protesters in front of the Ferry Building
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  Pro-Tibetan protesters heading south along the northbound lanes in front of the Ferry Building
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  Pro-Tibetan protester (center) on the northbound lanes
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  Supporters for torchbearer Lorraine Coppola in front of the Ferry Building
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  Pro-Chinese protesters in front of the Ferry Building
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  Women protesting sweatshops heading south on the northbound lanes
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  Pro-Chinese protesters in front of the Ferry Building
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  A pro-Tibetan protester heading north
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  Protesters against China's support of Darfur between the Ferry Building and one of the piers along the northbound lanes
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  Pro-Tibetan protesters on the northbound lanes of The Embarcadero between the Ferry Building and one of the piers
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  Pro-Tibetan protesters
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  Pro-Tibetan protesters
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  A pair of spectators
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  Pro-Tibetan protesters
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  A pair of monks
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  People near Pier 1
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  A band playing near Pier 1
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  Three nude men protesting China's human rights record near Pier 1
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  Two of the three
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  All three
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  Protesters of Chinese support for the Myanmar (Burma) regime near Pier 1
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  Larger view of the whole group
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  A section of the same group
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  A pro-Chinese protester displays the Chinese flag among the protesters' flags
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  Part of a large group of pro-Tibetan protesters heading south along the northbound lanes
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  Part of the large group come into contact with pro-Chinese protesters near Pier 1
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  Part of the large group
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  Part of the large group
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  Pro-Tibetan protesters exchange words with pro-Chinese protesters near Pier 1
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  Part of the large group come into contact with pro-Chinese protesters near Pier 1
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  Part of the large group
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  Some pro-Chinese protesters in front of Pier 1
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  People in the MUNI streetcar tracks in front of Pier 1
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  Protesters against China's support of Darfur near Pier 1
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  A pro-Tibetan protester near Pier 1
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  Pro-Tibetan protesters near the park on the north side of Justin Herman Plaza
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  People gathered along The Embarcadero in anticipation of the torch's arrival at Justin Herman Plaza, before 15:00
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  The large banner carried by a pro-Chinese protester hangs limp in the wind
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  Attention is focused on a portion of The Embarcadero in which people in white were seen running down the street towards Justin Herman Plaza
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Justin Herman Plaza

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  Two pro-Tibet protesters talk with a Chinese man
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  People behind the barricaded-off stage and viewing area
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  Part of the crowd
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  A larger view of the crowd
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  Part of the crowd
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  Members of the SFPD watch the crowd
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  A protester behind the barricaded-off stage and viewing area
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  Part of the crowd
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  Protesters against US human rights violations
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  Protesters at the entrance to Justin Herman Plaza on Market Street
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  People and news media near the entrance to Justin Herman Plaza on Market Street
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  A woman poses with a signed banner welcoming the torch to San Francisco
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  People adjacent to Justin Herman Plaza across from the Ferry Building
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  A pro-China protester holding a large national banner on an open side
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  A spectator yells at pro-Chinese spectators
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  The northwestern corner of the blocked off stage and viewing area set up
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  Part of the crowd behind the barricaded-off stage and viewing area
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  The bags of some pro-China protesters behind the barricaded-off stage and viewing area
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  An Iraq War protester at the entrance to Justin Herman Plaza on Market Street
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  A pro-Tibet (left) and Iraq War protester at the entrance to Justin Herman Plaza on Market Street
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  Pro-Chinese protesters at the entrance to Justin Herman Plaza on Market Street
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  People adjacent to Justin Herman Plaza across from the Ferry Building
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  A man and his family in the park on the northern side of Justin Herman Plaza
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  People in the park
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  People adjacent to Justin Herman Plaza across from the Ferry Building
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  People at the entrance to Justin Herman Plaza on Market Street
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  An SFFD ambulance makes its way onto Justin Herman Plaza from Market Street
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  People at the entrance to Justin Herman Plaza on Market Street
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  Volunteers load costumes of the five mascots (Fuwa) into storage bags
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  Pro-China protester
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  Storage bags containing costumes for the Fuwa
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  ArcSight employees behind the closed off viewing area
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  Protesters of Chinese support for the Myanmar regime
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  The JumboTron
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  Protesters at the entrance to Justin Herman Plaza at Market Street
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  A local cover band performs
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  People in the closed off viewing area
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  Pro-Tibet protesters behind the closed off viewing area
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  A Buddist monk
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  Protesters of Chinese support for the Myanmar regime
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  Pro-Chinese protesters
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  Protester of Chinese support for the Myanmar regime
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  Pro-Tibet protesters who had climbed a tree are told to come down
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  Pro-China protester
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  Humorous protester
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  Protesters of Chinese support for the Myanmar regime
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  Armband of a protesters of Chinese support for the Myanmar (Burma) regime
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  At 16:00
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  A local cover band performs
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  Protesters of Chinese support for the Myanmar regime
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  The closed off viewing area
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  People behind the closed off viewing area
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  Around 16:00
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  A security guard (right) warns a pro-China protester about using a megaphone to play the Chinese national anthem
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  Around 16:00
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  A pro democracy protester
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  Just after 16:00
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  A pro-Tibetan protester across from the Ferry Building and next to Justin Herman Plaza at 17:00, long after everyone else had left

Dragon dance

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  A dragon dance costume displayed by the Buk Sing Choy Lay Fut Kung Fu Association from Fremont, California in Justin Herman Plaza before their performance of a dragon dance to welcome the torch's arrival
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  Members performing
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  Employees of ArcSight perform
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  Performance finished

Fuwa

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  Costume being packed up
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  Jingjing & Yingying
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  Beibei & Yinging
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  Beibei
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  Jingjing & Nini
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  Nini
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  Huanhuan
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  Jingjing
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  Yingying
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  Jingjing & Huanhuan
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Lion dance

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  Members of the Buk Sing Choy Lay Fut Kung Fu Association from Fremont, California in Justin Herman Plaza waiting to perform a lion dance to welcome the torch's arrival
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  Heads of lion costumes
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  Heads of lion costumes (left) and a dragon costume (right)
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  Members prepare to perform
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  Members performing
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  Finished
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  Packing up
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Media coverage

The news media was obviously out in force, with local, national, and international coverage.

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  Media vehicles on Market St.
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  A reporter for 7x7 San Francisco magazine gives a report near Justin Herman Plaza
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  Reporter Mike Sugerman of KPIX-TV (Channel 5) and his cameraman (left) prepare to give a report on the northbound lanes of The Embarcadero
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  Mike Sugerman and his cameraman (left, just off camera) prepare to give a report
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  Mike Sugerman and his cameraman set up to give a report
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  Mike Sugerman and his cameraman give a report
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  Mike Sugerman and his cameraman finish giving a report
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  Mike Sugerman and his cameraman conduct an interview
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  Mike Sugerman and his cameraman search for someone to interview
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  Mike Sugerman conducts an interview
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  Reporter David Louie of KGO-TV (Channel 7) takes a photo while his cameraman (right) films crowds lining The Embarcadero
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  A reporter for KTVU (Channel 2) covers protesters of Chinese support for the Myanmar (Burma) regime near Pier 1
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  News media vehicles near Justin Herman Plaza
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  A cameraman films pro-China protesters near Justin Herman Plaza
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  A reporter for the Seven Network in Australia (left) interviews a local Chinese-American pro-Tibet protester near Justin Herman Plaza
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  A man selling Free Tibet shirts near Justin Herman Plaza on Market Street is interviewed
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  Media trucks still on scene along The Embarcadero just before 17:00
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  Reporters filing reports across from the Ferry Building and next to Justin Herman Plaza just before 17:00
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  Reporter Jose Simon of KPIX-TV reports in; reporter Mike Sugerman is in the blue jacket
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  Jose Simon
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  Mike Sugerman
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  KPIX-TV cameraman films Mike Sugerman