San Francisco witnessed a surge of tension and protest on Wednesday as Chinese President Xi Jinping‘s arrival for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) conference sparked clashes between pro-China and pro-Tibet groups. The San Francisco Chronicle reports that the city’s streets became a stage for heated demonstrations, reflecting the deep-seated divisions and rising geopolitical tensions.
As the day progressed, nearly a thousand demonstrators, divided in their support and opposition to China‘s policies, gathered outside the Hyatt Regency. The hotel, expected to host President Xi, turned into a flashpoint of the protests. The demonstrators, waving red Chinese and Tibetan flags, voiced their stances through chants and songs.
The situation escalated when physical altercations broke out. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, some protestors resorted to shoving and stomping on flags, prompting police intervention. By late afternoon, the police had set up barricades to separate the “Free Tibet” demonstrators from the pro-China group, but the large crowd proved challenging to control.
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In a striking display of defiance, one individual climbed a flagpole outside the hotel, unfurling a Tibetan flag, a symbolic act amidst the cacophony of communist hymns and anthems from the pro-China side, and chants of “Free Tibet” and “F– Xi Jinping” from the opposing group.
The tension peaked just before Xi‘s expected arrival at the hotel. Protestors attempted to breach the hotel entrance, leading to police pushing them back and clearing the entrance. A banner, briefly displayed on a parking garage, starkly proclaimed, “Dictator Xi Jinping. Your Time is up. Free Tibet.”
These protests in San Francisco, as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle, mark the largest yet against the APEC conference, coinciding with the launch of APEC’s CEO Summit and the arrivals of both President Biden and Xi Jinping at the Filoli estate in San Mateo County. The demonstrations spread across the city, from Market Street and Geary Boulevard to an intersection in SoMa, signaling a significant moment of public dissent and outcry.
This event in San Francisco underscores the complex and often contentious international relations surrounding China‘s policies, particularly regarding Tibet. As world leaders gather for the APEC summit, the voices of protestors echo a broader, global conversation about freedom, human rights, and the future of international diplomacy.
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