Police use Katy to disperse protesters in the Philippines
Quote:
Philippine police have deployed Katy Perry pop songs to disperse protesters at an Asia-Pacific leaders' summit in Manila, enraging some demonstrators but amusing others.
Hundreds of protesters rallied outside a venue where US president Barack Obama and other leaders of the 21-member Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) group were meeting.
The rally edged towards violence when protesters tried to break through lines of riot police to reach the summit venue.
Police responded by firing water cannons and scuffled with protesters, comprising of indigenous, student and labour groups, who chanted: "Junk APEC."
Then police pulled out their secret weapon: pop princess Katy Perry on giant loudspeakers.
Perry's hit song Roar was played at full volume, the top of a demonstration disco playlist aimed at distracting the protesters and drowning out their chants.
To add a street bass beat, some of the police tapped their batons against their shields in time with the music.
Many other protesters also expressed anger at authorities trying to suppress their message of opposition to globalisation and free-trade policies championed by APEC.
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