Protesters attempting to march to the US Embassy on Thursday morning to mark the 127th Philippine Independence Day were blocked by anti-riot police from the Manila Police District (MPD).

The demonstrators, primarily students, gathered at the corner of Taft and Kalaw Avenue with intentions of reaching the embassy on Roxas Boulevard. However, they were halted near the National Library building on Kalaw Road, where they proceeded to hold their protest program.

Police, backed by metal fences topped with barbed wire, prevented the estimated more than 1,000 protesters from getting closer to the embassy.

The program, which included groups such as KMU, Anakbayan, Bayanmuna, Gabriela and Kabataan Partylist, began at 10:40 a.m. and concluded peacefully at 12:45 p.m. Prominent leaders at the protest included Jerome Adonis of KMU, Raul Manuel of Kabataan Partylist, Bing Gomez, chairperson of Anakbayan and Bong Palatino of Bayanmuna.

Their demands included calls to Junk the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) and the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDA), to fight for true independence and against imperialism, to oust Vice President Sara Duterte and hold President Marcos accountable, to fight for genuine land reform, to stop red-tagging, and to demand justice for Jennifer Laude. They also protested perceived government issues, encapsulated by slogans such as “Over sa pondo, kulang sa serbisyo” (Too much funding, not enough services) and “Marcos Tuta ng Kano” (Marcos is a US puppet).