Pro-Palestinian protestors demonstrate outside President Biden's San Francisco fundraiser
Demonstrators rallying against President Joe Biden's support of Israel faced off with police in San Francisco's Financial District Tuesday night outside a fundraiser.
Pro-Palestinian protesters numbering in the hundreds had marched from Market Street until they got as close as they could to where the president was. Rush-hour traffic came to a standstill as the motorcade carrying President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris drove down California Street following the Democratic National Committee fundraiser at the Merchants Exchange Building.
Inside the Julia Morgan ballroom on the 15th floor, Biden, Harris, and Governor Gavin Newsom gave speeches and mingled with dignitaries, donors and politicians.
Outside, police officers in riot gear formed a blockade at Montgomery and California Streets.
"I'm Palestinian, this is wrong, we are people we deserve human rights, demand a ceasefire, demand the end of the occupation, Joe Biden is here and he is going to hear us," said protester Alex Lama.
Lama, a San Francisco native, joined the protest that began on Market Street. She feels that the APEC Summit is overshadowing the crisis in the Middle East.
"Should be on Gaza, should be on the West Bank, should be in Lebanon," said Lama of the attention given to APEC.
Though their voices were loud, Ray Shosha said he still felt helpless.
"We don't know what to do, we cannot fight, we cannot do anything," said Shosha, a Belmont resident.
There were hundreds of people in cars and on foot caught in the traffic snarl.
A couple from Denmark celebrating their anniversary happened to book a hotel next to the Fairmont Hotel where the president is staying, just a few blocks from the Merchants Exchange Building.
"It's complicated for us as tourists because we don't know all the streets, and so we have to go up and down and up and down and around," said Mareanne Delfer.
Congestion aside, the couple said they've been pleasantly surprised by the street conditions.
"We have been told that there would be a lot of homeless people, but we haven't seen that many here," said Delfer "I mean, we saw just a guy here, but it hasn't been that much, so you have really cleaned up the streets."
On Wednesday, when 1,200 CEOs are scheduled to meet, there will be more protests seeking to gain Biden's attention.