The Women’s Commission of the American Party of Labor extends our support and solidarity to the Malaya Movement USA and their member who was assaulted by a police officer. The Malaya Movement mobilized for several days during the November 2023 protests against the Asia Pacific Economic Forum (APEC) Summit in San Francisco, California, a gathering where heads of states and CEOS of multinational enterprises discussed the future of international trade and imperialist plunder. Over one hundred organizations joined forces as the No To APEC Coalition in these protest actions, including Malaya, the American Party of Labor, ILPS, and Bayan USA.
During the week of action, Malaya members demonstrated against Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the current president of the Philippines and son of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos. These protests were held while Marcos Jr. had been working with the US to install four new US military bases in the Philippines, and while the Biden administration was pushing for support of IPEF, a neoliberal trade policy, on the countries of the Asia Pacific.
On November 15, Mai, a Malaya member, volunteered as protest security to protect demonstrators from officers of the San Francisco Police Department. Mai was sexually assaulted during this time by Police Sergeant R. Jensen (No. 2146). While protesters were violently shoved by police, Sergeant Jensen grabbed Mai’s breast. She experienced bruising lasting for weeks following this incident, and continues to feel the psychological impacts as she emotionally heals.
“While I am horrified and shaken up from being assaulted by SFPD officers, I am unsurprised that they would assault peaceful protestors like myself…
While Marcos Jr. had convoys of police protection, protestors like us were facing police repression. While the state was acting to protect the profit of CEOs and Heads of State at APEC, they sought to silence us for dissenting. What they don’t understand is this: we will do whatever it takes to make our voices heard for an end to the exploitation of our people and our homeland.”
Mai, Malaya Movement USA’s Statement on Sexual Assault by SFPD at APEC
To reiterate the Malaya Movement’s statement on this assault, Mai’s experience of sexual assault is indicative of the San Francisco Police Department using its power to protect the rich and powerful, while boldly harming community members and peaceful protestors like Mai. The City of San Francisco and SFPD used its resources and power to harm, rather than help, the community as they hosted APEC. Millions of dollars were spent on the APEC Summit by the city, with some of that money going towards displacing the homeless populations of San Francisco without providing an adequate number of beds in shelters. Instead of allocating funds for community resources, San Francisco has prioritized ‘protecting’ the ruling class from having to see poverty and protests.
The APL echoes the following from the Malaya Movement: “We would like to communicate to Mr. Jensen: you are a menace and a danger to the people of San Francisco. To SFPD Police Chief Bill Scott, if you claim to serve the people of San Francisco, expel Sergeant Jensen from your staff and wield the law to hold him fully accountable. Unless the SFPD would like to continue to trample on its own stated values of ‘treat members of the public with respect and dignity’ and ‘professionalism in all actions.’”
The American Party of Labor stands in solidarity with Mai and wishes for her to heal safely and quickly as we fight for a future where police are not free to assault and abuse community members, and a future where imperialist institutions like APEC can no longer exist. We support the Malaya Movement USA as they seek justice for Mai and all other protesters fighting imperialism.
Categories: American Party of Labor, Police Brutality, Statements, Women
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