A Police car rammed demonstrators in Philippines, Manila, who was rallying in front of U.S. embassy on Thursday (20 October) leaving some people injured.
A graphic video shows the besieged vehicle surrounded by protesters as it swerved erratically around the crowd, pinning some protesters underneath the vehicle at a point.
Demonstrators at the U.S embassy had demanded an end to the presence of U.S. troops in the country and support a call by President Rodrigo Duterte for a foreign policy that is not dependent on U.S.
Videos of the incident shows demonstrators throwing red paint towards the Police, using water hoses of a fire truck to dose the Police, banging Police vehicles with batons that were taken from the Police.
Renato Reyes, a protest leader, said to the Association Press that there were 23 people arrested, while three people were taken to the hospital.
Reyes said, as he spoke of the violent police dispersal of about 1,000 protesters, “There was absolutely no justification for it. Even as the president vowed an independent foreign policy, Philippine police forces still act as running dogs of the U.S.”
Philippines used to have a good relationship with the U.S. However, Duterte had distanced himself with U.S. and personally insulted the U.S.’ president, Obama after the U.S.questioned Duterte over his controversial war on drugs.
Duterte had said that he might seek closer ties with Russia and China.
Duterte is currently at Beijing, seeking to deepen ties and economic relation with China and has announced that Philippine will separate with US on its military and economic ties after decades of collaboration.
