Portland, Oregon — Protesters disrupted U.S. Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley’s Town Hall in Clackamas, Oregon, held inside the Oregon National Guard station on Aug. 2. The demonstration was organized by a coalition of groups opposing the U.S. increased military funding to the Philippines to further escalate the cold war against the People’s Republic of China and its allies.

Members of BAYAN, Malaya and the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) brought together 50 people to challenge Merkley in front of the constituents he claims to represent. Bren from ICHRP was able to question Merkley about the U.S. imperialist campaign in the South China Sea to which he responded with debunked lies about China’s alleged human rights abuses.

Merkley then refused to respond to Bren’s questioning of his hypocrisy around his advocacy of increased funding of welfare and other services while further adding to an already bloated military budget. The event culminated in anti-imperialist chants and a banner drop.