[WATCH] Police Van Runs over Protestors Outside U.S. Embassy in Manila

A protest outside the U.S. Embassy in Manila ended in violence when a police van rammed through a crowd of people calling for the U.S. military to leave the Philippines.  Police also used tear gas and arrested dozens.

In front of horrified crowds, including videojournalists and photographers, the van suddenly charged backward then sprinted forward twice over a space of about 20 meters (60 feet), barreling through the scattered protesters and hurtling some to the side like bowling pins. A few were run over but somehow managed to stand.

Some screamed in surprise, others hurled stones at the van and yelled invectives. A speaker called the police “puppies of imperialists” on a loudspeaker.

“There was absolutely no justification for it,” protest leader Renato Reyes said of the violent police dispersal of about 1,000 protesters. “Even as the president vowed an independent foreign policy, Philippine police forces still act as running dogs of the U.S.”