Thousands protest in London over Trump UK visit

Armed with signs and shouting slogans, thousands of anti-Donald Trump protesters descended connected cardinal London connected Wednesday to decry the US president’s unprecedented 2nd authorities sojourn to the UK.

London’s Metropolitan Police estimated that determination were astir 5,000 radical astatine the protest, which culminated successful a rally successful beforehand of parliament.

With Trump receiving the red-carpet attraction astatine Windsor Castle, astir 22 miles (35 kilometres) westbound of London, demonstrators marched successful the bosom of the British superior to show their disdain connected the archetypal afloat time of the trip.

“We’re protesting, I suppose, astir everything astir Donald Trump. You don’t cognize what placard to carry, really, there’s truthful galore things” to dislike, erstwhile teacher Dave Lockett, 67, told AFP.

“He’s sowing demolition and upset passim the full Earth… If Trump’s ideas get into this society, past what we’re talking astir is fascism successful Britain,” helium added.

Left-wing lawmakers, including caller Green Party person Zack Polanski, were among those to code the crowds successful Parliament Square astatine the rally hosted by well-known comedian Nish Kumar.

“We are gathered present agreed to accidental this is not successful our name,” Polanski said of Trump’s invitation from the ruling centre-left Labour government.

“This is the infinitesimal to situation everything Donald Trump stands for. This is the infinitesimal to cull the authorities of hatred and division.”

– ‘Hiding’ –

Protesters had archetypal massed aboriginal day adjacent the BBC’s headquarters, holding aloft an array of banners, flags and signs, covering everything from enactment for the Palestinians to rejecting fascism.

Amid a cacophony of drumming, immoderate demonstrators had recreated smaller versions of the elephantine balloon depicting Trump wearing a nappy which was famously flown during his archetypal authorities sojourn successful 2019.

Yashi Sriram, a doc primitively from India, turned retired with a placard reading: “End the genocide. Stop Trump.”

“I conscionable wanted to amusement enactment for the radical of Palestine, really, much than thing else,” said the 32-year-old.

A radical called the Stop Trump Coalition organised the demo, with a wide confederation of organisations sponsoring it, including Amnesty International UK, Black Lives Matter UK, Palestine Solidarity Campaign and Greenpeace.

The conjugation questioned wherefore Trump would hardly beryllium successful London during the visit.

“Because helium knows we’re protesting against him,” the radical said successful a connection up of the march.

“Instead, he’ll beryllium hiding and having a bittersweet small carriage thrust each by himself successful Windsor with a parade that nary 1 volition adjacent see. This is due to the fact that of the powerfulness of our protest.”

Those astatine the evening rally repeatedly chanted: “Say it loud, accidental it clear: Donald Trump not invited here,” arsenic assorted speakers railed against him.

– Trump unpopular –

London’s Metropolitan Police deployed much than 1,600 officers — including 500 brought successful from different forces — to guarantee the lawsuit passed disconnected without incident.

A purported counter-demonstration failed to muster, and determination were nary reports of upset oregon arrests.

A lone protester, surrounded by police, displayed a motion reading: “We Love Trump,” sparking boos arsenic anti-Trump campaigners marched past him.

Trump remains profoundly unpopular successful Britain, with caller polling Wednesday showing astir fractional of respondents thought it was incorrect to invitation him for a 2nd authorities visit.

Only a 4th believed it volition amended UK-US relations, according to the YouGov/Sky survey.

London politician Sadiq Khan, who allowed the unflattering Trump babe blimp to alert during the American president’s first-term visits, has been a persistent professional amid a years-long feud.

Khan wrote Tuesday successful The Guardian: “Trump and his coterie person possibly done the astir to instrumentality the flames of divisive, far-right authorities astir the satellite successful caller years.”

An estimated 150,000 radical attended a play rally successful London organised by far-right activistic Tommy Robinson, with 26 constabulary officers injured successful clashes connected the event’s fringes.

In the article, Khan ...