PORTLAND, Oregon — Protesters disrupted a town hall meeting for U.S. Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley at the Oregon National Guard Base in Clackamas, Oregon, on August 2. The demonstration was organized by a coalition of groups opposed to increased U.S. military funding to the Philippines to further escalate the Cold War against the People's Republic of China and its allies.
Fifty members of the BAYAN, Malaya and International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) gathered to challenge Merkley before the constituents he claims to represent. ICHRP's Bren was able to question Merkley about US imperialist operations in the South China Sea, and Merkley responded with baseless lies about alleged human rights violations by China.
Merkley then refused to answer Bren's questions about the hypocrisy of advocating increased funding for welfare and other services while adding to an already bloated military budget. The rally culminated in anti-imperialist chants and banner dropping.
Photo: Anthony Yamashiro
