Protesters gather in downtown San Francisco as APEC begins

Подробнее о видео

(12 Nov 2023)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
San Francisco - 12 November 2023
1. Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) protest banner being unfurled
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Will Wiltschko, Bay Climate Action, Coordinator:
“I think there's there's many issues. There's a lot of human rights abuses in APEC countries. The Biden administration has to take bold action on climate change, and it really hasn't yet. And we really need to see, you know, an uplifting of working people around the world and an uplifting of environmental standards as well. Like, it can't just be a race to the bottom and it can't be business as usual.”
3. Mid of drumming at protest
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Will Wiltschko, Bay Climate Action, Coordinator:
“And the Philippines in the last few years has been one of the worst countries when it comes to human rights and labor rights. Over 50 labor leaders have been assassinated in the Philippines, and we don't think that it's proper to reward countries with trade policies that benefit regimes that are harming people. So we really want trade policies that are out there, uplifting working conditions and making sure that people are not seen as disposable.”
5. Protesters chanting to drums UPSOT: (English) “Free, free, free Palestine! When the Philippines are under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back!”
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Rhonda Ramiro, No To APEC Coalition, Convener:
“Today, we're bringing thousands of people to the street and all week to shut down APEC and oppose the neoliberal trade policies that it's promoting, the ways in which the 1% are oppressing the people, exploiting our resources.”
7. Protesters chanting to drums UPSOT: (English) “APEC, APEC telling lies. They don’t care if people die.”
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Rhonda Ramiro, No To APEC Coalition, Convener:
“People from all walks of life, people from all parts of the globe. The 99% are opposed to APEC and the neoliberal policies that it's promoting because those have driven people into poverty and have plundered the environment and have led to the climate crisis that we're in now.”
9. Various of protesters
10. Police at protest site
11. Various of protesters
12. Various of signs and props protesting APEC
13. Wide of protesters holding banner reading: (English) “Filipina Women are not for sale!”
14. Wide of protest site
15. People marching with Palestinian flags
16. Various of protest
17. Aerial of protesters gathered ++MUTE++
STORYLINE:
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.

Protests are expected throughout this week's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders’ conference, which could draw more than 20,000 attendees, including hundreds of international journalists.

The No to APEC coalition, made up of more than 100 grassroots groups, says trade deals struck at summits such as APEC exploit workers and their families.

"There's a lot of human rights abuses in APEC countries. The Biden administration has to take bold action on climate change, and it really hasn't yet. And we really need to see, you know, an uplifting of working people around the world and an uplifting of environmental standards," said Will Wiltschko, a Bay Climate Action Coordinator.

It's unlikely world leaders will even glimpse the protests given the strict security zones accessible only to attendees at the Moscone Center conference hall and other summit sites.


Find out more about AP Archive:
Twitter:
Facebook: ​​
Instagram:


You can license this story through AP Archive: