"You can't come to this country -- this of all countries that is known for liberty and equality -- and think that you can get us to support the Olympics in a country that doesn't respect basic human rights," Galan said.
Many Chinese French said they were disappointed by the melees and the canceling of parties and ceremonies. "They rained on our parade," said Wan Li, a restaurant worker. "Literally, we lost our parade."
In San Francisco, officials said they expected as many as 6,500 protesters Wednesday. Police would not discuss staffing levels, but a CHP spokesman said two details totaling more than 100 officers would be deployed for the torch relay.
One detail of CHP officers on motorcycles, in cars and on foot will help San Francisco police keep the torch moving along the route, and the other will secure the Golden Gate Bridge, the Bay Bridge, freeway offramps and onramps, and state buildings.
That tightened security was not yet in place Monday when activists began climbing suspension cables of the Golden Gate Bridge just after the morning rush hour. Tethered together, the two men and a woman scaled the cables about 10:30 a.m. to unfurl two banners. One said, "One World, One Dream, Free Tibet 08."
Seven protesters were arrested on the bridge, including four who aided the climb, CHP spokeswoman Mary Ziegenbein said. All will be charged with felony conspiracy and public nuisance, she said. The three climbers will face an additional charge of trespassing.
San Francisco officials said they hoped such tactics would not be repeated Wednesday. Rather than going down narrow streets as in Paris, they said, the relay route would mostly be on the Embarcadero, a wide boulevard where they hoped police would be able to keep protesters far away from the torchbearers.
"I'm all for any nonviolent, peaceable expression, and my fingers are crossed that people will express themselves appropriately," said Aaron Peskin, president of the San Francisco County Board of Supervisors. "If that's not the case, San Francisco has the resources and expertise to deal with things accordingly."
Newsom met for more than an hour Monday with Chinese ambassador Zhou Wenzhong. Among the topics covered were flame attendants from China, whose presence angered many London protesters.
Mayoral spokesman Nathan Ballard said the attendants would also be on hand in San Francisco.
"But let me make it perfectly clear that San Francisco Police Chief [Heather] Fong is in control of the scene and will be calling the shots," he said.
One torchbearer for the San Francisco relay said he wasn't intimidated by all the discord at other relays.
"Quite the opposite," said Eric Burke, a science teacher at Luther Burbank Middle School in Los Angeles. "It's so exciting to see people out there expressing their opinion."
His wife, Stefani Tovar, said she was worried -- but not about his security. Her fear was that activists would block her view of her husband's big moment.
"I'm worried the protesters are going to hog up all the spaces," she said.
--
john.glionna@latimes.com
geraldine.baum@latimes.com
Glionna reported from San Francisco and Baum from Paris. Times staff writers Tim Reiterman in San Francisco and Evan Halper in Sacramento also contributed to this report.
