Bay City News -- President Barack Obama is scheduled to arrive at San Francisco International Airport early this afternoon for a pair of fundraisers in San Francisco later today.
His arrival will inevitably cause some traffic disruptions on the route into the city, and protests in the afternoon could roil downtown traffic and public transit. So leave extra time and be prepared.
Obama will appear at a fundraiser at the InterContinental Hotel on Howard Street late this afternoon before heading to the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium for a dinner, rally and concert.
The dinner, which costs $20,000 per person, will be prepared by celebrity chef Alice Waters. Dinner is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. with the concert to follow.
Musicians John Legend and Michael Franti will perform, and San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex Smith is expected to attend. Ticket prices for the concert range from $100 to $7,500.
Protests are planned in Civic Center Plaza during Obama's visit. The anti-war group "World Can't Wait" is holding a news conference at 4:30 p.m. at UN Plaza near the Civic Center BART station before marching to Civic Center.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals will also be protesting at Civic Center, on behalf of circus elephants. The group is calling on the president to order the U.S. Department of Agriculture to confiscate mistreated pachyderms.
During the Obama's last Bay Area visit, hundreds of anti-war protesters marched through the streets surrounding Fox Theater, tore down pro-Obama posters and burned an American flag.
Obama will leave the Bay Area for Ohio on Tuesday morning.
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