Chaos broke out on Ayala Bridge in Manila on Sunday, September 21, after masked rioters clashed with police and torched a trailer truck, even as thousands of Filipinos were holding largely peaceful anti-corruption rallies across the capital.
Livestreams on TikTok showed individuals with their faces covered by balaclavas or cloth throwing stones, bottles, and debris at advancing policemen. At one point, a trailer truck was set on fire, with its burning tires turned into a barricade. A police motorcycle parked beneath the vehicle was also consumed by flames. In one clip, a man could be seen striking an officer’s shield in the middle of the standoff.
The violent group, however, appeared separate from the organized demonstrations that filled Rizal Park in Manila and the People Power Monument on EDSA. Organizers and observers stressed that the rioters were not connected to the “Baha sa Luneta” rally or the “Trillion Peso March,” where civil society groups, religious leaders, and political figures demanded accountability over the alleged misuse of billions in flood control funds.
While the larger protests maintained a peaceful character, the scene on Ayala Bridge highlighted the tension surrounding the day’s events. The Manila Police District has yet to issue an official statement on the incident.
