Anti-Marcos protesters dragged away from New York venue

(UPDATE) — A group of activists staged a lightning protest inside the Asia Society headquarters in New York City, where President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivered a speech.

The activists, who were successful in entering the venue despite very tight security, sat themselves down as they chanted “never again to Martial Law!”

Security personnel had to drag some protesters away from the venue after they refused to leave.

The activists also slammed the Asia Society, a global non-profit corporation for inviting Marcos Jr to speak.

“Shame on you Asia Society for giving a platform to Marcos Jr!” one of the activists shouted.

“How dare you? September 21 was the anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law. The Marcos family plundered billions of people’s money!” another protester said.

The lightning rally was among a series of protests mounted by military groups to denounce President Marcos Jr’s working visit in the United States.

More scenes from the lightning rally staged by youth activists at the Asia Society HQ to protest the presence of President Marcos Jr pic.twitter.com/ukHfplDhO5

— Pia Gutierrez (@pia_gutierrez) September 23, 2022

Watch: Marcos critics stage a protest inside the Asia Society headquarters where President Ferdinand Marcos Jr is set to give a speech pic.twitter.com/rthuAkycRD

— Pia Gutierrez (@pia_gutierrez) September 23, 2022

More scenes from the lightning rally staged by youth activists at the Asia Society HQ to protest the presence of President Marcos Jr pic.twitter.com/ukHfplDhO5

— Pia Gutierrez (@pia_gutierrez) September 23, 2022

FILAM Anti-Marcos activists gate-crashed the Asia Society just before Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr is scheduled to speak today. ⁦@ABSCBNNews⁩ ⁦@TFCNewsNow⁩ pic.twitter.com/x9iW6Nth1d

— DON TAGALA (@dontagala) September 23, 2022

Marcos is currently in the US, where on early Wednesday (Manila time), he spoke for the first time at the General Assembly at the UN headquarters, highlighting various issues, including bidding for a UN Security Council seat for the Philippines.

He also met with US President Joe Biden.

Before meeting Biden, he also met with UN Secretary-General António Guterres, former United Kingdom Prime Minister Tony Blair, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

Prior to those meetings, Marcos also addressed the American business community at the Philippine Economic Briefing held at the Carlyle Hotel in New York City. — Report by Pia Gutierrez, ABS-CBN News

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