Stop state fascism in the Philippines!

New York, Nov. 4 — A picket line outside the Philippines Consulate tonight on Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue protested police raids carried out in metropolitan Manila and Negros Island. They chanted, “Activism is not a crime!”

The action was called by BAYAN Northeast to protest the arrests carried out by police and the Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division on Oct. 31. The regional offices of the National Federation of Sugar Workers, the women’s organization Gabriela and Bayan Muna were raided. Phony “evidence” was planted to conduct future frame-ups.

Sixty-two activists were seized in metropolitan Manila and the island of Negros. One couple that was arrested had their children seized.

A few days before, on Oct. 26, the Philippine military dropped 500-pound bombs on Samar Island.  

Behind the dictator Duterte, in the Philippines, is the racist pig in the White House. Last year, Trump and the Pentagon provided at least $193.5 million for the Philippine military. At least $145.6 million more has been sent in 2019.

The result is the murder of hundreds of Indigenous leaders, unionists, teachers, lawyers, activists and even priests since 2016. Duterte imposed martial law on the island of Mindanao in 2017, and there is talk of extending it elsewhere.

The demonstrators in New York City linked the police violence in the Philippines with the killings by police in the U.S. The U.S. labor movement and all progressive people should show solidarity with the Filipino people. Oust the U.S.-Duterte regime!