Asia-Pacific

Filipinos protest US ‘state terrorism’ ahead of Trump visit

 

People have staged rallies in the Philippines’ capital, Manila, to protest US President Donald Trump’s upcoming visit to the country.

During an all-woman anti-Trump protest near the US Embassy on Thursday, people carried placards with messages such as “Ban Trump” and “Donald Trump, sexist, racist and militarist” to show their opposition to the US president’s visit.

They also shouted slogans against the US.

Members of the GABRIELA (Women’s Group) shout anti-US slogans during a protest outside the US Embassy in Manila, the Philippines, on November 9, 2017. (Photo by Reuters)

 

Diyana Yahaya, the program officer for the Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD) said, “President Trump is the perfect embodiment of the current global system where the world’s 1 percent controls 99 percent of the world’s population and more than like half of the world’s wealth.”

The protesters also denounced Washington’s imperialist policies.

Some of the protesters accused the US of sponsoring state terrorism and condemned Washington’s military intervention in Mindanao, in the southern Philippines, where US forces are assisting government military operations against Daesh-linked militants.

Police were present at the scene of the protest to prevent violence.

Anti-riot policemen block members of the GABRIELA (Women’s Group) during a protest outside the US Embassy in Manila, the Philippines, on November 9, 2017. (Photo by Reuters)

 

Trump is set to attend the upcoming Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in the Philippines. He will extend his stay in the country to attend the East Asia Summit on November 14.

The US president is also expected to have a bilateral meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte on November 13.

A protest was also held in front of the Trump Tower in Manila to oppose the US president’s planned visit. The protesters briefly scuffled with security forces there.

Back to top button