Police, APEC Protesters Clash in Philippines

from PressTV: People have taken to the streets in the Philippine capital, Manila, where the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit is taking place, to protest against “imperialist globalization.”

Scuffles broke out on Thursday morning as police used water cannons and truncheons to disperse the protesters.

Participants in the rally marched down a road near the venue of the summit of 21 economies to express their opposition to APEC’s free-trade agenda.

“APEC and imperialist globalization have only benefited the rich countries while further impoverishing developing countries like the Philippines,” said Renato Reyes, a protest organizer.

Philippine authorities have imposed the country’s biggest security measures ever, shutting down the capital following the recent attacks in the French capital of Paris, which killed 129 people.

Over 20,000 security forces and army soldiers have been deployed to ensure security during the two-day APEC summit, which will end on Thursday.

World leaders at the summit have been discussing issues such as climate change and regional economic cooperation. However, the simmering territorial dispute among several Asian countries over the South China Sea and the deadly attacks in Paris has cast a shadow over the normally business-focused APEC summit.

SOURCE: Press TV