Tension at San Francisco Olympic torch run

Thousands of protesters and counter-protesters gathered in San Francisco yesterday as the Olympic torch - magnet for demonstrations against China policies - began its only relay in the US.

There were some tense confrontations and at least one pro-Tibetan demonstrator was arrested.

The torch relays in London and Paris over the past week were dogged by protests, particularly against China's crackdown last month on unrest in Tibet. But Olympics chief Jacques Rogge said there were no plans to cut short a global relay ahead of the August Olympic Games in Beijing.

San Francisco sought to head off trouble and hundreds of security officers including agents from the FBI were deployed.

Police warned before the start of the torch relay run that anyone crossing police barricades along the route would be subject to arrest.

Reflecting divided feelings in the city - a fifth of whose population is of Chinese origin - thousands of pro-China spectators gathered at the start of the route, many flying the five-star Communist Chinese flag.

Many Chinese-Americans in San Francisco are proud their ancestral home is hosting the global sporting event and resent the protests.

In front of the city's ferry building, Christine Lias, 30, was quickly surrounded by more than 30 Chinese-Americans after she said "Free Tibet now!"

"Liar, liar, shame on you," many in the group shouted at the lone woman.

"In 5,000 years of Olympic history the Chinese can finally have one time hosting the Olympics. It means that China is becoming a world power," said Don Zheng, 41, a Chinese-American computer engineer who emigrated in 1988.

Authorities in the city stepped up patrols on the Golden Gate Bridge after three protesters scaled its cables on Monday to hang pro-Tibet banners.

Coast Guard boats patrolled the waterfront.

The torch relays have kept Tibet in the headlines, and attracted other groups unhappy about a range of China-related issues, including its human rights record and policies on Sudan's Darfur region. Critics say China should use more of its clout with Sudan to ease the bloody conflict in Darfur.

Hours before the San Francisco torch relay, President George W. Bush urged China to open a dialogue with the Dalai Lama. He said he agreed at a meeting with Singapore Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong "that it would stand the Chinese government in good stead if they would begin a dialogue with the representatives of the Dalai Lama."

Western leaders are facing a delicate balancing act as calls mount for them to boycott the Olympics opening ceremony.

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said in a speech to Chinese students that it was important to recognize there were "significant human rights problems" in Tibet, although he did not back calls for a boycott.

China has sharply denounced comments by speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi in support of anticipated protests at the Olympic torch relay in San Francisco.

Ms Pelosi said on Tuesday that she commended those who were expected to protest along the torch's route in San Francisco, saying they would be making a "significant statement that the Olympic ideals of peace and harmony should apply to all people, including those in Tibet and Darfur".