Protests surround APEC summit as world leaders, CEOs gather

Protesters rallied in San Francisco ahead of the APEC conference involving a meeting between President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Nov. 15. Demonstrators aimed to disrupt the meeting and CEO summit, advocating for people’s voices in decision-making.

Around 150 people formed a human chain to block conference attendees at an intersection. Some protesters oppose Chinese policies, while others address global issues like the Israel-Hamas conflict.

San Francisco has prepared for potential confrontations with metal mesh barriers near the convention center.

“It’s amazing,” said Donna Denina, an organizer for No to APEC. “I think people are coming together, putting aside whatever differences they may have politically, ideologically, and coming together for one goal, which is to shut down this ministerial meeting, this CEO summit, to make sure they can’t sit at the table unless the people can sit at the table and express their demands.”

At the kick-off event, Mayor London Breed expressed San Francisco’s readiness to host the 2023 APEC summit.

“San Francisco is well-prepared to be an ideal host for the APEC Summit, and we are fully committed to enhancing security, improving the city’s infrastructure, and ensuring comprehensive access to information,” Breed said. “The APEC Summit will not only make San Francisco shine on the global stage, but will also be an important catalyst to boost the city’s economic growth to US$50 billion.”

More than a thousand security personnel from various agencies will ensure order around the Moscone Centre, Yerba Buena Park and Nob Hill. Security will be further tightened by the deployment of Secret Service officers and the installation of a 14-foot fence to protect the core zone at the Moscone Centre.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators rallied in San Francisco on the evening of Tuesday, Nov. 14, urging a cease-fire in Gaza while President Joe Biden attended a 2024 reelection fundraiser in the city.

Approximately 500 protesters marched from downtown to the Merchant Exchange Club, where Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom were present.

A brief confrontation occurred between protesters and police when the crowd attempted to enter an intersection blocked by law enforcement. Demonstrators, carrying large Palestinian flags, chanted “End the siege on Gaza now” and “Ceasefire now” as they walked through the streets.

Pro-China and anti-China demonstrators also gathered near the Moscone Center with police vehicles limiting their visibility. Ahead of his meeting with China’s Xi Jinping, President Biden expressed the goal of stabilizing U.S.-Chinese communications after a tumultuous year.

Biden and Xi have not spoken in a year, with their last meeting at the Group of 20 summit in Indonesia. Tensions escalated following events triggered by the shooting down of a Chinese spy balloon earlier this year.