'Trump, you are not welcome' – Manila protesters clash with police over US AI project
Key Takeaways
- Demonstrators attempted to access roads leading to the ASEAN summit venue in Manila ahead of Trump's expected visit.
- Protester Jerome Adonis declared that the US president was not welcome in the Philippines.
- Protesters oppose a proposed 1,620-hectare manufacturing hub linked to the US Pax Silica initiative over fears of Indigenous displacement.
Demonstrators oppose Donald Trump's planned visit to the Philippines and a US-backed AI manufacturing project they fear could displace Indigenous families.
Protesters clashed with police in Manila as they attempted to reach roads leading to the ASEAN summit venue, where US President Donald Trump is expected to meet Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos.
The demonstration comes ahead of the leaders' planned bilateral talks on November 18, with protesters opposing Trump's visit and a US-backed technology initiative they fear could threaten Indigenous communities.
Police confronted demonstrators attempting to access roads near the summit venue as opposition to Washington's involvement in the Philippines grew.
Jerome Adonis, one of the protesters, delivered a direct message to the US president.
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"The message of working people is very clear. Donald Trump, you are not welcome in the Philippines, out of the Philippines" says protester Jerome Adonis.
Much of the opposition centres on Pax Silica, a US supply-chain initiative aimed at reducing dependence on China for semiconductors and rare earths.
The programme includes a proposed 1,620-hectare AI manufacturing hub north of Manila, which protesters fear could displace Indigenous families.
The planned project has become a major point of contention ahead of Trump's meeting with Marcos, as demonstrators raise concerns about its potential impact on local communities.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
