MANILA, Philippines — (UPDATED – 3:24 p.m.) Activist groups protesting the visit of U.S. President Donald Trump bared on Monday, November 13, a novel mechanical effigy of the American leader, which they have dubbed the “fascist spinner.”
The spinner was unveiled at Manila’s Liwasang Bonifacio where protesters spearheaded by the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan gathered before taking to the streets again.
It shows Trump with four spinning arms arranged in the form of the fascist swastika symbol, his hands holding a gun, a bag of money, an earth-mover’s shovel, and a nuclear missile, and a tiny President Rodrigo Duterte peering from behind his left leg.
Here is a video of the spinner in action courtesy of Obet de Castro:
From the Liwasang Bonfacio, thousands of activists marched along Taft Avenue but were met by anti-riot police backed by fire trucks at the intersection with Padre Faura where a standoff ensued after close to an hour of scuffles during which the protesters were bombarded by water cannon.
The protesters instead held a program there and burned the Trump effigy at noon, timing it with the expected bilateral meeting between the U.S. president and Duterte.
Watch the “fascist spinner” burn in this video contributed by CJ Despuez: