New York, NY – On May 28 members of BAYAN USA and the International League of People’s Struggle (ILPS) gathered in Midtown Manhattan for an action against the U.S-Philippines arms deal.

Earlier in the month, Mayor Bill De Blasio signed an order that made protesting illegal in New York City, so organizers had to be strategic about their plans and how to get the messaging out. What they did, was host two speeches, one at the Philippines Consulate and the other at the Army Recruiting Station in Times Square.

The first speech was given by Maria Bustamante of BAYAN, who spoke about the people of the Philippines under the duress of U.S. imperialism.

The second speech was given by Michela Martinazzi of the ILPS, who stated “We're here. We're strong. And we're angry. The pandemic may have driven us indoors, but we haven't stopped fighting. We stand with the people of Minneapolis taking back their communities. We stand with the people of the world fighting to tear down imperialism. We fight with you!”

This event was a method to raise awareness against arms sales and to encourage people to sign on to the call.

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