Protesters planning to march in downtown San Francisco on Sunday are united in their opposition to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders’ conference, which brings together leaders from nearly two dozen countries, including U.S. President Joe Biden. They are protesting corporate profits, environmental abuses, poor working conditions, and the Israel-Hamas war. The No to APEC coalition, made up of more than 100 grassroots groups, argues that trade deals struck at summits such as APEC exploit workers and their families.
Despite strict security zones that make it unlikely for world leaders to glimpse the protests, the protesters aim to make their presence felt. Suzanne Ali, an organizer for the Palestinian Youth Movement, believes that mobilizing and marching together will send a strong message, regardless of whether the leaders see them or not.
San Francisco has a long tradition of vigorous protests, especially in relation to trade talks. Protesters succeeded in delaying the start of the World Trade Organization conference in Seattle in 1999, capturing global attention. Similarly, mass protests led Chile to withdraw as APEC host in 2019, and pro-democracy protesters challenged the legitimacy of the Thai prime minister during the summit in Bangkok last year.
The San Francisco Police Department Chief Bill Scott expects several protests a day, dismantling any criminal activity. APEC, a regional economic forum consisting of 21 member countries, has become a focal point for demonstrations due to its significant impact on workers and families from participating nations.
Critics are also planning to protest the highly anticipated meeting between Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the CEO summit, making their opposition to labor exploitation and environmental degradation heard. Rory McVeigh, a sociology professor, and director of the Center for the Study of Social Movements at University of Notre Dame, states that politicians use protests to gauge public opinion, and media attention helps influence public discourse.
The United Vietnamese American Community of Northern California and the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines plan to protest the presence of various leaders at the APEC summit, rallying for causes pertinent to their communities. Protesters consider it disappointing for San Francisco to host CEOs and leaders of countries that they feel are profiting off the crises of our time.
In summary, as the world’s leaders converge in San Francisco for the APEC summit, they will be met with demonstrations from various activist groups, united in opposition to the exploitation of workers and adverse environmental impacts caused by global trade deals. These protests bear witness to a long tradition of robust and impactful demonstrations in San Francisco and the significance of public mobilization as a catalyst for change. The voices of the protesters seek to ripple through media channels and resonate across the globe, demanding accountability and change at the highest levels of global leadership. The protests are expected to create substantial energy and urgency around the issues and causes they represent, adding another layer of intensity and dynamism to the APEC summit proceedings.
