SAN FRANCISCO – San Francisco has stepped up efforts to put its best foot forward for APEC, including clearing homeless camps in neighborhoods surrounding the conference.

This activity has raised questions about where the homeless go and what is being done to get them the help they need.

Michael Hudson has been living near Market Street for several months. He says he just found out about the APEC conference.

ALSO READ: More stories from the APEC summit

“This is the third time they have kicked us out. And this time they didn’t allow us to put our tents back up,” Hudson said.

He said he lost many of his belongings during the last move.

“They threw everything in a big truck, took it and hauled it somewhere,” Hudson said. “They're supposed to keep it for us, and that's what was written on the paper they gave us. But when I asked, no one could find any of my things. They're just harassing us more and coming out and arresting people.”

ALSO READ: What you should know about APEC-related road closures and impacts on public transportation in San Francisco

The Coalition on Homelessness says more help should be available for unhoused people living in the APEC safe zone.

“We have been pushing for them to release more resources,” said Jennifer Friedenbach, executive director of the Coalition on Homelessness. “What we've seen is that the main shelter that people can just walk up to and leave – on Dolores Street – doesn't allow people to sleep there. It only allows people who have been expelled from the APEC zone to sleep there.”

SFMTA APEC INFO: APEC Travel and Transit Information | Interactive map | Impact on Nob Hill | SoMa Impact

Friedenbach said her organization learned of the Dolores shelter plan on Wednesday.

“We would like to see the city add more beds and perhaps provide some hotel rooms or accommodations in a church. But we would increase capacity to offset the displacement that people are facing,” Friedenbach said.

KPIX reached out to the city for comment on these concerns and received an email that stated, in part, “The Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing does not provide special housing for APEC.”

It was noted that some recently funded sites are already available, such as the Interfaith Winter Shelter. Around 300 additional beds will be available in three adult accommodations between November and December.

As for Hudson, he doesn't know where he'll sleep the rest of the week.

“I’ll drop my stuff off at the shelter down there, but I don’t sleep there,” he said. “It’s dirty and people cough on you everywhere.”

More from CBS News

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SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — If you've visited San Francisco in the last week, it's likely you've noticed fewer homeless people near the Moscone Center and downtown.

Since APEC began, the streets are cleaner and the homeless population is no longer as visible in downtown San Francisco.

The San Francisco Standard took over the warehouse at Van Ness Avenue and Eddy Street two months ago. A completely different look this week. Plant boxes are now on the sidewalk. A mile from APEC.

Minna Street between Seventh Street and Julia Street with several tents, two months ago. Deleted this week. Less than a mile from APEC.

All of this leads to the question: Where did the homeless in San Francisco go? We found many of them on Willow Street.

MORE: Living Room on the Embarcadero: The Story of a Homeless Man in SF

Luz Pena: “Where were you before you came here to Willow?”

Cody Jost: “Harrison and 5th Street. A little further down”

Pena: “Has the city moved you?”

Jost: “Yes, pretty much. They close off certain streets and tell you to move on. Basically they control everything. They tell you where to move and all you have to do is get up and go.”

Before APEC, Cody had set up camp two blocks from the Moscone Center.

Over the last week, U.S. Secret Service has restricted access around the Moscone Center. Cody said city workers showed up and offered him housing. He took it.

Pena: “What did you notice a month before APEC?”

“About a month before APEC began, there was targeted engagement with the city and the homeless. People who were homeless in the south of the market. Many of these people came to the Tenderloin and told us they were given options for housing,” said Terry Giovannini, St. Anthony’s chief program officer.

St. Anthony's has been keeping an eye on the housing need in the Tenderloin. There was an upward trend this week.

“Many of the people who remained on the streets in SOMA were asked to move. Many of the people asked to relocate were offered housing. Those who have chosen not to seek accommodation are looking for alternatives during APEC,” said Giovannini.

MORE: SF will step up clearing of uninhabited camps after court resolves, officials say

In a statement, the San Francisco Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing acknowledged that efforts change when events like APEC take place:

“We want to do our best. Targeted outreach will focus on the conference environment and providing safe spaces for people experiencing homelessness will be a priority.”

Businesses in the Tenderloin are happy that more homeless people are now housed in shelters, but are worried about what will happen when APEC is over.

“We will definitely keep pushing. We are all voters. The property owners, the businesses, we are the mayors, voters, we are the city of San Francisco and they need to listen to us,” said Rene Colorado, executive director of the Tenderloin Merchants Association.

HSH also said that although there was no dedicated shelter capacity for APEC, the day APEC began in San Francisco, the city opened winter shelters and added 300 beds to the shelter system.

Full HSH statement:

“San Francisco’s work to combat homelessness is a priority 365 days a year. We are on the streets every day, sheltering people every night, and moving people out of homelessness every day. Our best efforts will be focused on the conference environment and providing safe spaces for people experiencing homelessness will be a priority be. The SF Homeless Outreach team will connect people experiencing homelessness to services, shelter, and housing assessments in real time. HSH does not provide specific housing for APEC. We are not expected to provide additional shelter capacity during the Summit, which will support us during APEC and throughout the winter: The Interfaith Winter Shelter will run from November 10, 2023 to March 24, 2024 and will provide shelter capacity for Increase people who are homeless during the challenging winter season. Further expansion of accommodation capacity in three shared accommodations for adults. This expansion was funded in the last budget cycle and is scheduled to come online in November and December 2023. This capacity is not yet complete. We estimate this will add 300 beds to the shelter system. As always, addressing homelessness requires a comprehensive and compassionate approach. The APEC Conference provides an opportunity to highlight San Francisco’s commitment to this problem and demonstrate our city’s innovation, resilience and determination to find lasting and meaningful solutions.”

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According to official figures, San Francisco’s homeless population was around 7,750 people in 2022, with 57 per cent living outside officially sanctioned shelters.

Drugs also plague the area. San Francisco’s UN Plaza – about 1.6km (1 mile) from the Moscone Centre – saw more reported overdoses each year from 2018 to 2022 than any other block in the city.

Why the US push for military guard rails with China could be a near miss

Despite San Francisco’s move to clear its unhoused population around the site of the summit, there were still homeless people in the area on Tuesday, a day before Biden and Xi meet to hash out issues from AI governance to tensions over Taiwan.

California Governor Gavin Newsom – a possible future presidential candidate who visited Beijing in October and met Xi – addressed the issue of moving on homeless people ahead of the Apec summit at a press conference earlier this month.

“I know folks say, “Oh, they’re just cleaning up this place because all these fancy leaders are coming into town. That’s true because it’s true,” Newsom said. But he also insisted the removals were part of the broader “Clean California” project that has moved some 3,300 encampments since 2021.

The city’s homelessness and supportive housing department said it would not be expanding shelter capacity during Apec but would allocate funding for 300 new beds as winter approached.

San Francisco’s downtown area has been a favourite punching bag in recent months for the US right-wing media, which cites homelessness and illicit drug use as by-products of liberal policies in the Democrat-controlled city.

Xi Jinping and Gavin Newsom strike positive tone on US-China climate cooperation

As Apec approached, Chinese state media – which sometimes uses negative overseas examples to showcase China’s system – ridiculed the city’s social problems. “San Francisco hogs limelight for wrong reasons,” read a China Daily headline in July.

Global Times commentator Hu Xijin asked: “Why doesn’t the US put up some money to resettle these homeless people?”

Closer to home, San Francisco activists wanted the money spent on the summit to help marginalised communities instead.

Local organiser Joemae Santos said residents would see little benefit from the US$20 million in sponsorship agreements to fund the event. They “will only benefit the political elite and the wealthy”, she wrote on a blog.

When Xi and Biden talk at Apec, managing Taiwan will top the agenda

Pamela Holmon, executive director of San Francisco’s Project Homeless Connect, said the city had “provided a lot of options and a lot of pathways to resources for those that were encountered on the street”.

“Everyone that has been in an encampment was offered shelter access services directly by San Francisco’s city and county emergency response team,” she said. Holmon also noted that the level of homelessness had not increased around her office, about 1.6km (1 mile) from the Moscone Centre.

San Francisco is also on a tourism drive, offering free or discounted tickets for boat trips, art exhibitions, Chinatown restaurants and historical tours to showcase its stunning scenery and long record as a gateway to the Indo-Pacific.

“I love my city,” said Curtiss Hayden, a “welcome ambassador” in an orange jacket printed with an image of the Golden Gate bridge. “It’s a world-class city, people who live here get along even if we have a few issues.”

How leaders and an army of staff turned Beijing’s grey into ‘Apec blue’

Beijing made a similar effort to put its best foot forward in 2014, enlisting 400,000 officials to cut smog and shut down factories ahead of its own Apec summit.

While Chinese authorities do not face the fierce public backlash experienced by US politicians for heavy-handed policies ahead of major international conclaves or visits, there was indirect criticism on China’s social media platforms.

Internet users coined the term “Apec Blue” to describe the temporary clear skies over the capital that resulted from the factory closures and other measures. They also said the picture-perfect conditions staged for foreigners should be extended permanently for locals.

The post San Francisco mocked in China for transferring homeless away from Apec summit venue appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

The Ferris wheel that’s been spinning next to Golden Gate Park’s Music Concourse for three years is relocating to the more heavily touristed Fisherman’s Wharf, and will reopen in two weeks.

The company that operates the ride, SkyView Partners, announced on its website that the final rides in Golden Gate Park were on Sunday, October 22, and the wheel will now move and start turning again November 10. Anyone with tickets for the coming two weeks can redeem them when it reopens.

SFGate reported the news today, a month after we first heard that SF Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin was pushing to get the ride moved to the Wharf, which is in his district.

City Hall followers and SFist readers may recall how Peskin was a vocal foe of the Ferris wheel before it first opened, arguing that the Parks Alliance, which had arranged for the ride’s arrival for Golden Gate Park’s sesquicentennial celebrations, had overstepped, and that the city wasn’t reaping enough financial benefit from the wheel operators.

When the Ferris wheel’s permit was coming up for an extension in 2021, Peskin and Supervisor Connie Chan pushed back again, citing complaints from neighbors and environmental groups, and suggesting that proper approvals had never been received from two thirds of the Board, as required under the City Charter.

“We are trying to get it out of the park, where it never belonged, and to the wharf, where it is a perfect fit,” Peskin said last month.

And so it shall be.

Kat Anderson, president of the Rec and Parks Commission, told the Chronicle last month, “If [the observation wheel] moves, it will attract visitors and provide a fresh view of our beautiful city.”

It’s still not clear who is footing the bill for the disassembly, move, and reassembly of the wheel. And under the terms of the wheel’s extended permit, the city is only getting 3% of revenues from it.

The wheel will now live, presumably through 2025, in the triangle parking lot next to Boudin Bakery, and it will be open just before 20,000+ attendees of the APEC summit arrive in town.

Previously: Supervisor Peskin Proposes Moving the Golden Gate Ferris Wheel to His District, at Fisherman’s Wharf

The post Golden Gate Park Ferris Wheel Transferring to Fisherman’s Wharf Forward of APEC Summit appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

According to official figures, San Francisco’s homeless population was around 7,750 people in 2022, with 57 per cent living outside officially sanctioned shelters.

Drugs also plague the area. San Francisco’s UN Plaza – about 1.6km (1 mile) from the Moscone Centre – saw more reported overdoses each year from 2018 to 2022 than any other block in the city.

Why the US push for military guard rails with China could be a near miss

Despite San Francisco’s move to clear its unhoused population around the site of the summit, there were still homeless people in the area on Tuesday, a day before Biden and Xi meet to hash out issues from AI governance to tensions over Taiwan.

California Governor Gavin Newsom – a possible future presidential candidate who visited Beijing in October and met Xi – addressed the issue of moving on homeless people ahead of the Apec summit at a press conference earlier this month.

“I know folks say, “Oh, they’re just cleaning up this place because all these fancy leaders are coming into town. That’s true because it’s true,” Newsom said. But he also insisted the removals were part of the broader “Clean California” project that has moved some 3,300 encampments since 2021.

The city’s homelessness and supportive housing department said it would not be expanding shelter capacity during Apec but would allocate funding for 300 new beds as winter approached.

San Francisco’s downtown area has been a favourite punching bag in recent months for the US right-wing media, which cites homelessness and illicit drug use as by-products of liberal policies in the Democrat-controlled city.

Xi Jinping and Gavin Newsom strike positive tone on US-China climate cooperation

As Apec approached, Chinese state media – which sometimes uses negative overseas examples to showcase China’s system – ridiculed the city’s social problems. “San Francisco hogs limelight for wrong reasons,” read a China Daily headline in July.

Global Times commentator Hu Xijin asked: “Why doesn’t the US put up some money to resettle these homeless people?”

Closer to home, San Francisco activists wanted the money spent on the summit to help marginalised communities instead.

Local organiser Joemae Santos said residents would see little benefit from the US$20 million in sponsorship agreements to fund the event. They “will only benefit the political elite and the wealthy”, she wrote on a blog.

When Xi and Biden talk at Apec, managing Taiwan will top the agenda

Pamela Holmon, executive director of San Francisco’s Project Homeless Connect, said the city had “provided a lot of options and a lot of pathways to resources for those that were encountered on the street”.

“Everyone that has been in an encampment was offered shelter access services directly by San Francisco’s city and county emergency response team,” she said. Holmon also noted that the level of homelessness had not increased around her office, about 1.6km (1 mile) from the Moscone Centre.

San Francisco is also on a tourism drive, offering free or discounted tickets for boat trips, art exhibitions, Chinatown restaurants and historical tours to showcase its stunning scenery and long record as a gateway to the Indo-Pacific.

“I love my city,” said Curtiss Hayden, a “welcome ambassador” in an orange jacket printed with an image of the Golden Gate bridge. “It’s a world-class city, people who live here get along even if we have a few issues.”

How leaders and an army of staff turned Beijing’s grey into ‘Apec blue’

Beijing made a similar effort to put its best foot forward in 2014, enlisting 400,000 officials to cut smog and shut down factories ahead of its own Apec summit.

While Chinese authorities do not face the fierce public backlash experienced by US politicians for heavy-handed policies ahead of major international conclaves or visits, there was indirect criticism on China’s social media platforms.

Internet users coined the term “Apec Blue” to describe the temporary clear skies over the capital that resulted from the factory closures and other measures. They also said the picture-perfect conditions staged for foreigners should be extended permanently for locals.

The post San Francisco mocked in China for transferring homeless away from Apec summit venue appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

More world leaders will visit San Francisco for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit this week than at any time since 1945 – when 50 dignitaries met to found the United Nations – and the famed city by the bay is trying to put its best foot forward.

This week’s historic meeting of leaders from around the Asia-Pacific region has prompted a beautification campaign, with San Francisco scrubbing streets and cleaning up the city.

San Francisco has also removed homeless residents from encampments near the summit and called in thousands of law enforcement officers to police the area around the Moscone Centre where world leaders – including US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping – will meet.

Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team.

More than 1,000 members of the California Highway Patrol are lining the streets of San Francisco’s downtown area and metal barricades stretch for several blocks to help with pedestrian management.

According to official figures, San Francisco’s homeless population was around 7,750 people in 2022, with 57 per cent living outside officially sanctioned shelters.

Drugs also plague the area. San Francisco’s UN Plaza – about 1.6km (1 mile) from the Moscone Centre – saw more reported overdoses each year from 2018 to 2022 than any other block in the city.

California Governor Gavin Newsom – a possible future presidential candidate who visited Beijing in October and met Xi – addressed the issue of moving on homeless people ahead of the Apec summit at a press conference earlier this month.

“I know folks say, “Oh, they’re just cleaning up this place because all these fancy leaders are coming into town. That’s true because it’s true,” Newsom said. But he also insisted the removals were part of the broader “Clean California” project that has moved some 3,300 encampments since 2021.

Story continues

The city’s homelessness and supportive housing department said it would not be expanding shelter capacity during Apec but would allocate funding for 300 new beds as winter approached.

San Francisco’s downtown area has been a favourite punching bag in recent months for the US right-wing media, which cites homelessness and illicit drug use as by-products of liberal policies in the Democrat-controlled city.

As Apec approached, Chinese state media – which sometimes uses negative overseas examples to showcase China’s system – ridiculed the city’s social problems. “San Francisco hogs limelight for wrong reasons,” read a China Daily headline in July.

Global Times commentator Hu Xijin asked: “Why doesn’t the US put up some money to resettle these homeless people?”

Closer to home, San Francisco activists wanted the money spent on the summit to help marginalised communities instead.

Local organiser Joemae Santos said residents would see little benefit from the US$20 million in sponsorship agreements to fund the event. They “will only benefit the political elite and the wealthy”, she wrote on a blog.

Pamela Holmon, executive director of the city’s Project Homeless Connect said the city had “provided a lot of options and a lot of pathways to resources for those that were encountered on the street”.

“Everyone that has been in an encampment was offered shelter access services directly by San Francisco’s city and county emergency response team,” she said. Holmon also noted that the level of homelessness had not increased around her office, about 1.6km (1 mile) from the Moscone Centre.

San Francisco is also on a tourism drive, offering free or discounted tickets for boat trips, art exhibitions, Chinatown restaurants and historical tours to showcase its stunning scenery and long record as a gateway to the Indo-Pacific.

“I love my city,” said Curtiss Hayden, a “welcome ambassador” in an orange jacket printed with an image of the Golden Gate bridge. “It’s a world-class city, people who live here get along even if we have a few issues.”

Beijing made a similar effort to put its best foot forward in 2014, enlisting 400,000 officials to cut smog and shut down factories ahead of its own Apec summit.

While Chinese authorities do not face the fierce public backlash experienced by US politicians for heavy-handed policies ahead of major international conclaves or visits, there was indirect criticism on China’s social media platforms.

Internet users coined the term “Apec Blue” to describe the temporary clear skies over the capital that resulted from the factory closures and other measures. They also said the picture-perfect conditions staged for foreigners should be extended permanently for locals.

This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP’s Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright © 2023 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

Copyright (c) 2023. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

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Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan stand for a group photo with Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha and his wife Naraporn Chao-ocha on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Bangkok, Thailand November 19, 2022. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha/Pool/File Photo Acquire Licensing Rights

Nov 13 (Reuters) – Leaders from the 21-member Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum gather this week in San Francisco for the 30th APEC summit, where the spotlight will be on a rare meeting between the U.S. and Chinese presidents.

WHAT IS APEC AND WHAT TO WATCH FOR?

APEC accounts for about 62% of global GDP and almost half of global trade. It is unique in grouping economies rather than nations, allowing participation of Chinese-ruled Hong Kong and democratically governed Taiwan, which China claims as its own. It does not though include India, the world’s most populous country.

APEC operates on the basis of non-binding commitments with decisions reached by consensus and commitments undertaken on a voluntary basis. The leaders will gather from Wednesday to Friday, following preparatory meetings of senior finance officials and ministers. An annual APEC CEO summit runs from Tuesday to Thursday.

APEC has become a stage for strategic competition between the U.S. and China, the world’s two largest economies, and all eyes will be on a bilateral summit scheduled for Wednesday in the San Francisco Bay Area between Joe Biden and Xi Jinping, only their second in person meeting since Biden took office in January 2021.

Biden’s national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on Sunday the U.S. president would seek to “advance the ball” on re-establishing military-to-military communications with China during the meeting to avoid “mistakes or miscalculations or miscommunication.”
The Biden-Xi meeting is also expected to cover global issues from the Israel-Hamas war to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Taiwan, human rights, as well as trade and economic relations, a senior U.S. official said.

WHAT PROTESTS ARE EXPECTED AT APEC?

Protesters are expected in San Francisco – some to support Beijing and others to demonstrate against China’s human rights record. The high-profile gathering could also attract demonstrations over the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, which have divided APEC members.

These divisions will make drafting a summit declaration difficult and any joint statement is likely to be bland, with stronger views expressed by smaller groups of like-minded countries.

Russia’s APEC participation became divisive after it invaded Ukraine last year. Russian President Vladimir Putin will not participate and did not attend the 2022 summit in Bangkok.

Hong Kong’s representation became controversial as its chief executive, John Lee, is under U.S. human-rights sanctions. The Hong Kong government said Lee would not attend due to “scheduling issues” and Financial Secretary Paul Chan would do so instead.

WHAT WILL WORLD LEADERS WEAR?

Traditionally APEC leaders wear local costume for a final-day group photo. This started in 1993 when then President Bill Clinton prescribed bomber jackets in Seattle.

President Barack Obama, however, broke with tradition in 2011 by not ordering up Hawaiian shirts. Whether and how San Francisco rises to the occasion remains to be seen.

WHAT IS THIS YEAR’S FOCUS?

The U.S. has chosen the theme “Creating a Resilient and Sustainable Future for All” for APEC 2023. It says it aims for an “interconnected, innovative, and inclusive” region and “to advance a free, fair, and open economic policy agenda that benefits U.S. workers, businesses, and families.”

As of 2021, APEC members made up seven of the United States’ top 10 overall trading partners and Washington is expected to play up the relative strength of its economy in challenging times – a veiled comparison with difficulties China has faced after years of spectacular growth.

It will also seek to highlight progress in the 14-nation Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) it created to boost engagement after former President Donald Trump quit a regional trade pact in 2017. However, experts say it has so far failed to convince Asia that IPEF is more than a pale alternative to a fully fledged trade deal.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen met Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng on Friday and said they had agreed to “intensify communication” on economic issues, while she also warned him to crack down on Chinese companies that give material support to Russia for its war in Ukraine.

WHO ARE APEC’S MEMBERS?

APEC’s members are: Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, the United States and Vietnam.

Attempts by India to join APEC have been stymied for decades – first because its economy was not integrated into the global system and then by a membership freeze.

Taiwan presidents do not attend APEC summits and Morris Chang, founder of semiconductor maker TSMC (2330.TW) who went to the Bangkok summit last year, is to represent the island this year too.

Reporting by David Brunnstrom in Washington
Additional reporting by Michael Martina in Washington
Editing by Michelle Nichols, Matthew Lewis and Alistair Bell

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A man protesting against China’s ruling Communist Party at the recent Asia-Pacific economic summit in San Francisco shared details Wednesday of an attack by pro-China supporters, saying he was left unconscious and that police should take action against his assailants.

Kaiyu Zhang, who moved from Shanghai to Los Angeles in March, told reporters he and two other demonstrators were assaulted Nov. 17 by a group of young men wearing red headbands or arm bands after leaving a protest at the city’s international airport as leaders were departing the city.

His remarks came a day after bipartisan leaders of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China condemned efforts to silence critics of the Chinese Communist Party, known as the CCP. Republican Rep. Chris Smith of New Jersey and Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon cited videos from protests at the APEC summit showing human rights activists being harassed and assaulted by counterdemonstrators.

“We, the Chairs of the CECC, strongly condemn the reported violence perpetrated against individuals exercising their rights of freedom of expression and assembly in the United States. We urge San Francisco County police to review these reports and pursue justice as appropriate,” they said in a statement Tuesday.

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with President Joe Biden and other foreign leaders during the Asia-Pacific Economic Conference, which took over downtown San Francisco for a week, drawing foreign dignitaries, journalists and many protesters.

Cell phone videos shot by Zhang show young men, most of them dressed all in black and with red baseball caps, headbands or scarves, closely following him, and at least one of them cursing at him. Zhang shouted a profanity about Xi before being rushed by the men, still recording as he was then punched on the ground.

Zhang, 51, said he and a 74-year-old man were injured and that he lost consciousness. Both had to be hospitalized and he said he’s still recovering from injuries to his head and left eye.

“How could this happen in America? This thing’s supposed to only happen in China,” said Zhang.

Zhang was at the South San Francisco Police Department headquarters to give investigators what he believes is the name of one of his attackers. Police had previously said an assault and battery investigation is underway, but reported no arrests.

The Congressional-Executive Commission said the group Human Rights in China alleged that counterprotesters may have ties to the Chinese consulate in San Francisco. An email seeking comment from the consulate was not immediately answered Wednesday.

Opposition groups and dissidents have long alleged that the Chinese government is behind incidents of violence and online or physical harassment directed at critics living abroad. Chinese officials have denied any involvement, though when Xi travels local pro-Beijing groups rally at major events to showcase a strong welcome and drown out protesters.

In San Francisco during APEC, demonstrators showed up outside the Chinese consulate and the main APEC conference center with messages against Xi and the Chinese government. But high metal fences were installed to separate crowds from Xi’s motorcade, and Chinese and American flags were used to obscure them from view. Pro-Beijing groups surrounded protesters with large Chinese flags and used loudspeakers to drown out their chants.

Several skirmishes broke out and people were shoved to the ground with police officers intervening in some instances.

The San Francisco Police Department received several complaints of violence throughout the week of APEC and took action to make arrests when officers either witnessed attacks or were alerted to attacks in a timely manner, said Sergeant Kathryn Winters. She said the department continues to investigate complaints arising from the summit but did not specifically answer whether it was looking into allegations of harassment or assault against people protesting against the Chinese government.

U.S. law enforcement officials in recent years have repeatedly warned about what they say are aggressive, and criminal, efforts by Beijing to stalk, harass and intimidate political dissidents in the U.S. – a pattern of conduct known as transnational repression.

The Justice Department has brought multiple cases against operatives who they say have worked on behalf of a Chinese government, including by seeking to derail the congressional campaign of a little-known candidate in New York who decades earlier had been a student leader of the Tiananmen Square protests in Beijing. In one particularly notable case, a private investigator in New York was convicted last June after prosecutors said he’d been hired to try to bully an expatriate Chinese dissident living quietly in New Jersey into returning home.

Last year relations between Britain and China dipped to a new low after a Hong Kong protester said he was dragged into the Chinese Consulate in Manchester, England, and was beaten up by several of the consulate’s staff during a peaceful pro-democracy protest.

The incident drew widespread criticism from British lawmakers, and China later recalled six officials from the U.K., including the head of the Manchester Consulate, before British police had a chance to question them.

Associated Press writers Didi Tang and Eric Tucker in Washington, Sylvia Hui in London and Janie Har in San Francisco contributed to this report.

Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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SAN FRANCISCO – With the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit held in San Francisco this year, the city is under heavy security.

San Francisco police officers posted on street corners, California Highway Patrol officers roaming the roads, and tall fences ringing Moscone Center.

While some San Francisco businesses have embraced the APEC summit with open arms, others have not.

“Overall, we’re pro-APEC. We are very pleased that it’s happening this week,” said Renato Geslani, manager of the Cole Hardware at 4th and Jessie streets, just a stone’s throw away from the summit.

The store is located inside a security perimeter, and Geslani hopes that won’t discourage customers.

“It’s hard to determine if somebody, like a regular customer of ours, will go through the hassle of going through the security checkpoint just to get that one light bulb,” Geslani said.

Dexter Lee owns Massage Envy around the corner. He says despite the fences going up over the weekend, business at the spa has doing well.

“Optimistic, but we’ll see,” Lee said.

Although he’s appreciative of the APEC attendees who’ve visited, Lee said he would still prefer locals.

SEE ALSO: Lasers to light up San Francisco during APEC

“Well, our model is based on memberships, so visitors won’t” necessarily sign up, he said.

Tony Sufi, a supervisor at Denny’s, expressed confidence that his business will not be significantly affected.

“We’re not worried, because of online orders, everything from DoorDash to Uber, so a lot of things that come,” Sufi said.

There’s also one major advantage: due to the fence, everybody will be vetted, he said.

“It’s really good, because everybody’s checked, here and over there, so there is a lot of security,” he said.

Jose Garcia, general manager of Lemonade restaurant near the Metreon, stated, “Definitely we get less customers. I’m not excited because it’s a hassle for everyone.”

He added, “Especially going through security to come to work, and not getting enough orders to fulfill because of these fences.”

Garcia and others say, for now, it’s a wait-and-see situation.

“I think it’s the first year, and people are getting scared. But they don’t know. They don’t know what to expect, like everything changes every day,” Garcia said.

Geslani said, “I’m kind of hoping the engineers will still come in and still need to service their guests, but we don’t know.”

Henry Lee is a KTVU crime reporter. E-mail Henry at Henry.Lee@fox.com and follow him on Twitter @henrykleeKTVU and www.facebook.com/henrykleefan.

The post Blended response from San Francisco companies on influence of APEC summit appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Protesters oppose APEC Summit in San Francisco | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Every act of aloha counts. Click here to DONATE to the MAUI RELIEF Fund.

By Noah Berger and Godofredo A. Vásquez / AP
| November 12, 2023 
| Updated on  November 12, 2023 at 2:54 pm

Activists protesting corporate profits, environmental abuses, poor working conditions and the Israel-Hamas war marched in downtown San Francisco on Sunday, united in their opposition to a global trade summit that will draw President Joe Biden and leaders from nearly two dozen countries.

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A welcome sign is placed at the site for the APEC Summit, Friday, Nov. 10, in San Francisco. World leaders, CEOS, protesters and thousands of others will soon descend on San Francisco for the high-profile trade summit.

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Demonstrators prepare to march in opposition to the APEC Summit Sunday, Nov. 12, in San Francisco. Hundreds of business executives, foreign press and world leaders will descend on San Francisco for the highly anticipated global trade summit.

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Demonstrators march in opposition to the APEC Summit Sunday, Nov. 12, in San Francisco. Hundreds of business executives, foreign press and world leaders will descend on San Francisco for the highly anticipated global trade summit.

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Signs are placed on a sidewalk as demonstrators prepare to march in opposition to the APEC Summit Sunday, Nov. 12, in San Francisco. Hundreds of business executives, foreign press and world leaders will descend on San Francisco for the highly anticipated global trade summit.

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Demonstrators prepare to march in opposition to the APEC Summit Sunday, Nov. 12, in San Francisco. Hundreds of business executives, foreign press and world leaders will descend on San Francisco for the highly anticipated global trade summit.

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Demonstrators hold signs as they march in opposition to the APEC Summit Sunday, Nov. 12, in San Francisco. Hundreds of business executives, foreign press and world leaders will descend on San Francisco for the highly anticipated global trade summit.

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Demonstrators hold signs as they march in opposition to the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Summit, Sunday, Nov. 12, in San Francisco. Hundreds of business executives, foreign press and world leaders will descend on San Francisco for the highly anticipated global trade summit.

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The post Protesters oppose APEC Summit in San Francisco appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.