Washington/San Francisco - Senator Hillary Clinton on Monday called on President George W Bush to boycott the opening ceremonies in Beijing in August because of China's crackdown in Tibet and other human rights abuses. "At this time, and in light of recent events, I believe President Bush should not plan on attending the opening ceremonies in Beijing, absent major changes by the Chinese government," said Clinton, who is locked in a tight race with Barack Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination.
Clinton's statement came as protests began in San Francisco in anticipation of Wednesday's arrival of the Olympic torch, whose journey through the streets of Paris on Monday was marred by clashes between protestors and police.
Three protestors climbed San Francisco's famous Golden Gate Bridge and unfurled a Tibetan flag and banners proclaiming "One World One Dream" and "Free Tibet."
Police had arrested four people on the bridge who appeared to be the support team for the cable climbers.
The carrying of the torch has been plagued by several protests, including when it was initially lit in Greece.
Clinton faulted the Chinese for the violent clashes in Tibet and for "the failure of the Chinese government to use its full leverage with Sudan to stop the genocide in Darfur." She said Bush had been "wrong to downplay human rights in its policy towards China."
Bush has said he intends to participate in the opening ceremonies but will continue to press China on its human rights record and to open dialogue with Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.
"We have a great deal of concern about human rights in China ... and we have never been afraid to express those views either directly by the president or the president's senior advisers when they travel to China, and publicly," said Tony Fratto, a White House spokesman.
San Francisco police were readying for major protests along the only US stop for the Olympic torch relay. The route along the waterfront is designed to minimize potential disruptions by numerous protest groups, some of whom have been spurred on by a declarations from the city's board of supervisors calling on the city to greet the Olympic torch with "alarm and protest."
US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the agency stands ready to assist San Francisco and California state authorities with any security needs.
"Clearly there's been a lot of emotion surrounding this issue worldwide. We have seen that," McCormack said.
"People have the right to freely express themselves around the world," he added. "If they have differences with the Chinese government on any variety of issues, they should have the ability to express themselves in a peaceful way."
