DC activists gather to celebrate Duterte arrest
Organizers gathered outside of the Embassy of the Philippines to celebrate Duterte’s arrest. | Photo Credit: Fight Back! News
Washington, D.C. – On March 14, Filipino and other community activists gathered outside of the Embassy of the Philippines to celebrate the arrest of the dictator Rodrigo Duterte, while also mourning the victims of his brutal regime.
The action began with organizers from Anakbayan DC leading the crowd in chants in both English and Tagalog, shouting, “Stop the killings in the Philippines!” and “Makibaka, huwag matakot!” The protesters then attempted to take the street, but the police present at the action verbally warned the crowd and began a kettling process, pushing protesters back onto the sidewalk.
Speakers from Malaya DC, Anakbayan DC, and the DC Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (DCAARPR), celebrated Duterte’s arrest and denounced the crimes he committed while in office. Connections were also drawn between repression seen locally and what is seen in the Philippines.
“Let’s be clear, today is a huge victory for the people’s movement,” said the speaker from DCAARPR, “The Duterte regime will try their best to sidestep the ICC ruling, but it is our job to be unrelenting and ensure that he is put away for his crimes against humanity”
The protest continued with calls for future mobilization against Trump, citing comparisons between his repressive regime and the Duterte era in the Philippines.
“The rollbacks against federal workers, the imminent ICE raids, and political kidnapping of Palestinian student activist Mahmoud Khalil, are all reminiscent of martial law in the Philippines,” continued the speaker for DCAARPR, “Our enemy knows it is in their best interests to be united around a common goal, now is time for us to unite the strands of the people’s struggles so that we become an impenetrable united front!”
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