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Residents and merchants oppose naming Chinatown Central Subway station after Rose Pak
Summary
Dozens of speakers at the Board of Supervisors’ public comment period urged the board not to name the Central Subway Chinatown station for Rose Pak, citing community concerns and allegations about her ties to the Chinese government; supporters of the Chinatown‑name and other alternatives also addressed the board.
A lengthy public-comment period at the San Francisco Board of Supervisors’ May 7 meeting featured repeated objections from residents and Chinatown merchants to any effort to name the Central Subway station after Rose Pak.
Speakers representing merchant associations and immigrant communities urged the board to retain a descriptive name such as “Chinatown Station” or to choose a more broadly accepted figure, arguing that the proposed naming would confuse tourists and that Pak is a divisive figure. Multiple speakers — many speaking through translators or identifying themselves as refugees from mainland China — said Pak had used influence in Chinatown politics and, they alleged, acted as an agent for the Chinese consulate to the detriment of groups such as Falun Gong practitioners. Several speakers requested that the board avoid naming any public facility after someone with an active and disputed political legacy.
Other community members argued in favor of a name that would be clear to visitors, such as “Chinatown Station,” and emphasized the station’s role as a major tourist gateway; speakers collected thousands of petition signatures, according to testimony. Some speakers urged naming after Sun Yat‑sen (Sun Zhongshan), citing his broad historical recognition among Chinese communities worldwide.
Board members did not take a final vote on station naming at the May 7 meeting. Supervisor Paskin and others fielded many of the public comments related to naming procedures and recognized the intensity of the community response. The matter remained under discussion; several speakers asked supervisors to consult Chinatown merchants and residents and to avoid any action that would deepen divisions or seem to endorse a disputed figure.
