'Dump Trump' protest ahead of Philippines summit

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Riot police used water canon to prevent hundreds of protesters reaching the US embassy in Manila on Sunday, just a few hours before the arrival of President Donald Trump in the Philippines for a regional summit and the last leg of his Asia tour.

Carrying placards reading “Dump Trump” and “Down with US Imperialism”, the left-wing protesters were blocked by police in riot gear with shields and batons, and then showered with jets of water from a fire engine.

“We know he is here to push for unfair treaties between the Philippines and the US”, 18-year-old student Alexis Danday said among the protesters.

Protesters shout slogans during a protest against US President Donald Trump's visit at the Philippine International Convention Center, November 11, 2017. /Reuters Photo.

Trump was expected to arrive in the Philippines at around 5 p.m. (0900 GMT) for meetings with leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and other East Asian nations, fresh off an Asia-Pacific summit and bilateral visit in Vietnam.

The Philippines will be Trump’s last stop on a marathon tour that has taken him to Japan, South Korea, China as well as Vietnam.

A protester confronts riot police during a protest against US President Donald Trump's visit at the Philippine International Convention Center, November 11, 2017. /Reuters Photo

Trump will meet Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte in Manila, where he will try to shore up relations strained by Duterte’s anti-US sentiment and his enthusiasm for better ties with Russia and China.

Others who will be in Manila for the summit meetings include Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and leaders from Japan, Canada, South Korea, India, Australia, New Zealand as well as the member states of ASEAN.

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Source(s): Reuters