Hundreds of people have taken to the streets of Manila to protest against US President Donald Trump, ahead of his visit to the Philippines.
Activists from a loose coalition of left-wing groups held placards with signs including “Ban Trump – Fight US Imperialist War and Plunder” as they marched to the US Embassy.
The activists were blocked by scores of the capital's police kitted out in anti-riot gear just yards from the building. Minor scuffles broke out when protestors tried to break through the cordon.
But during the largely peaceful demonstration, protestors chanted anti-US slogans including, “Trump, not welcome’ and “Fight US imperialist war”.
Others carried out symbolic acts – such as splashing black paint across a poster of Mr Trump which branded him a “fascist”.
A separate protest was also held outside the city's Trump Towers skyscraper.
Members of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan - an alliance of left wing organisations - gathered there. They claimed the US president wanted to build more US military bases in the Philippines.
They also believed his visit would move the country closer to the US and form a relationship that could see the Philippines dragged into any conflict in the region such as with North Korea.
“Trump represents the worst aspects of US imperialism," they told the Southeast Asia Globe. "He is right now the biggest threat to regional peace with his provocations against North Korea.”
The protests come ahead of the Mr Trump's visit to the Philippines over the weekend, when he will meet with his Filipino counterpart president Rodrigo Duterte and attendance at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) trade summit.
Mr Duterte has proven to be a controversial figure in the west.
In 2016, he said that he would be “happy to slaughter” millions of drug addicts in the island nation and referred to former President Barack Obama as a "son of a whore" when the US leader criticised the policy.
Mr Trump and Mr Duterte also had a eyebrow-raising phone call in April of this year, when he told the Philippines leader that he thought he was doing a "great job" on the drug war.
Discussions about the ongoing conflict with North Korea are expected to take place with Mr Duterte as well, as Mr Trump sounds out solutions and tactical responses to any further missile launches by the secretive communist state.
Mr Trump is currently on a 12-day Asia tour that included visits to Japan, South Korea, and China. He is currently in Vietnam where officials say he may meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit.
The US leader is expected to arrive in Manila on 12 November.
