Protesting groups try to shut down APEC events, demonstrate at Chinese Consulate in San Francisco

A group of protesters made their way down the Embarcadero and towards a heavily guarded Exploratorium - where inside President Biden was speaking at an APEC gala.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Protests are continuing in San Francisco as the APEC summit ramps up with the arrival of Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping, along with other large events.

After hundreds marched down Market Street Tuesday, demanding an immediate cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war, more protesters from multiple groups gathered Wednesday morning.
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More protests are expected throughout the day and the rest of the week.

VIDEO: 'Stop Bombing Children': Israel-Gaza cease-fire message projected on SF's Ferry Building

'Stop Bombing Children': Israel-Gaza cease fire message projected on SF's Ferry Building

Protest at APEC CEO summit

A number of organizations protested the start of the APEC CEO summit Wednesday morning, attempting to shut it down.

The group met near the 5th Street BART station and marched to 5th Street and Mission, where hundreds were lining the streets near the Moscone Center.

The protesters were attempting to block APEC attendees from entering the event.

Protesters were locking arms and chanting "No to APEC." City crews were also turning traffic around at the area.

SFPD officers had formed a human barricade to block 5th Street. As of 11 a.m., half of the officers had left the area, but there was still a line of officers blocking Mission Street.

MORE: What to do if you're stopped by police at a rally

Heads of state and representatives from big companies such as Uber, GM, and Boeing were meeting to promote policies that favor free trade and corporate profit.

While some were protesting the CEO summit, many were also there continuing to call for a cease-fire in the Middle East.

The protest is part of a larger 'No to APEC' movement that has hosted events around the Bay Area in recent weeks.

Things mainly remained peaceful, but there were multiple tense moments where protesters booed and attempted to confront APEC attendees in suits. Protesters were swarming and even putting hands on delegates as they tried to walk in to the Moscone Center.

Police did step in to break up confrontations, but no arrests were made.

Other intersections around the Moscone Center may close down on Wednesday and the rest of the week due to other demonstrations.

VIDEO: Opposing groups clash at SFO before President Xi's arrival

Opposing groups clash at SFO ahead of Xi's arrival

Protest against President Xi

There were also demonstrations Wednesday outside the Chinese Consulate in San Francisco. It is being billed as the "biggest unwelcome protest" against Chinese President Xi Jinping.

There were dozens of protesters demonstrating for their people, who they believe are suffering under President Xi.

The protesters plan to march to Moscone Center, ground Zero for the APEC summit.
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Protest at Moscone Center

Hundreds of activists took to multiple streets of downtown San Francisco, blocking traffic and trying to stop APEC attendees from entering the summit.

"Activists who are prepared to lock down, even to get arrested if it came down to that for the objective of delaying the CEO summit as much as possible," said Cody Urban, Organizer with the NO to APEC Coalition.

For four hours a human chain was created to disrupt one of APEC's main entry points where CEOs were meeting.

"In that meeting they are trying to cut more free trade deals that will poison the planet, drive wages down, cut jobs from people," said Rahonda Ramiro with the NO to APEC Coalition.

Activist Abbey Irodistan was part of the chain.

"We were really successful. We were able to cause disruptions across all of the traffic throughout San Francisco," Irodistan said. "Make a statement that we as Filipino people, as workers, as youth and women, oppose the decisions that are being made and trade deals that are being brokerage at APEC."

The NO to APEC Coalition includes some 150 anti-war, climate and labor organizations. It led the group that protested for multiple causes.

"All of these might seem different. What has brought us all together is that we see the policies that APEC is pushing and the kind of policies that make these CEOs so rich, are the same ones that are leading to war, that are leading to genocide, that are leading to the climate crisis," Urban said.

As a motorcade was escorted by CHP officers past 2nd Street, another group of activists with the New Federal State of China movement lined up another APEC entry point.

"We are here to send a message to Xi this is not a place for him to be. He is a dictator. He is a totalitarian dictatorship, and democracy and freedom don't have any room for him. We are here to send him a message that we absolutely want to take him down," said Ava Chen, follower of the New Federal State of China.

With the global spotlight on San Francisco and more than 600 people dying on these streets from fentanyl, today's meeting between the two world power leaders could be crucial for the U.S. to put pressure on China to crack down on the facilities making fentanyl -- but these protesters don't trust it.

"I want to warn Americans, because you are dealing with the devil. They never honor any agreement. You just have to look at the history," Chen said.

VIDEO: Hundreds protest APEC summit near SF's Moscone Center

Hundreds protest APEC summit near SF's Moscone Center

Protests continue Wednesday night outside of Biden's APEC gala

A group of protesters made their way down the Embarcadero and towards a heavily guarded Exploratorium - where inside President Biden was speaking at an APEC gala.

Some protesters shouted at both police, as well as people attending the gala.

All of them demanding the president do more to stop the conflict in the Middle East.

Despite demonstrations having gone on for weeks, several of the protesters out say this is the most important time for them to make their voices heard due to the global leaders gathered in town for the APEC summit.

"We as constituents have power, and right now those in power are not listening to our voices. So this is a message to those in power," said Meena Abushmala.cea

Before joining other protesters at the barricades surrounding the Exploratorium, another group gathered outside the Ferry Building earlier in the afternoon.

There they created a memorial out of children's shoes to represent those who have died in Gaza.

"That symbolize really what it means in human terms to lose that many people, and particularly 4,500 children," said Sara Kershnar.

One of those in attendance was Tariq Ra'ouf.

A Palestinian American, he tells us several members of his extended family have been killed over the past several weeks.

"For years, I felt like we were kind of screaming into the void and no one was listening. It felt like the only people that cared or was listening to us was Palestinians," he said.

With the APEC summit ending on Friday, protesters say they hope their actions can help lead to a cease-fire.

"But if it's not, we will be back in the streets and the pressure is only going to increase," Haddad said.

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