sentences:  These protests, which ranged from thousands of people in San Francisco,, forced the path of the torch relay to be changed or shortened on a number of occasions.The torch was extinguished by Chinese security officials several times during the Paris leg for security reasons, and once in protest in Paris.The attacks on the torch in London and Paris were described as "despicable" by the Chinese government, condemning them as "deliberate disruptions... who gave no thought to the Olympic spirit or the laws of Britain and France" and who "tarnish the lofty Olympic spirit", and vowed they would continue with the relay and not allow the protests to "impede the Olympic spirit".