TPP Protesters Greet President Obama in Beverly Hills — in Pictures

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (#TPP), a global trade agreement being secretly negotiated by 600 multinational corporations and industry trade groups, will affect nearly every aspect of Americans’ lives. If passed, it will undermine state, local and federal laws, including those governing food safety, environmental protection, internet freedom, worker rights, democratic sovereignty, healthcare and drug prices, and banking and finance regulation.

In short, it will be a disaster for public health and safety, future sustainability of the world’s food supply and basic democratic principles.

When asked why it was being negotiated in secret, Ron Kirk, the former US trade negotiator said, “Because if the people knew what was in it, it would never be passed.” It’s bad enough that Congress and the public have been shut out of these negotiations, while corporations are running the show. But even worse, the Obama Administration wants to ram the TPP through Congress using a Nixon-era process called Fast Track.

On November 25th, Barack Obama came to Beverly Hills for a high dollar fundraiser for the Democratic Senatorial and Congressional Campaign Committees at the Beverly Park homes of former basketball star Magic Johnson and billionaire media mogul Haim Saban. Tickets started at $2500 a person for the reception and $16,200 a person for the dinner.

250 protesters were there to greet Obama and tell him to flush the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Here’s how the day and night went in pictures.

Photographers: Barry Levine, Guero Cerdo, Jessica Niederbruning, D’Marie Mulattieri, JB Wagoner, Ina Martinez, Niloo Khodadadeh, Mike Chamness, Rachael Sullivan , Sheila Burnham, Esperanza Ramirez, Justice Served, and Matthew Leddy.