'Together Against Trump', thousands protest peacefully in London

By Andrew MacAskill and Jamillah Knowles

 

A man holds a pro-Trump banner as demonstrators protest against the visit of U.S. President Donald Trump, in central London, Britain, July 13, 2018. REUTERS/Yves Herman

 

LONDON (Reuters) - Chanting "Donald Trump has got to go," tens of thousands of protesters marched through London on Friday waving banners and banging pots to demonstrate against the U.S. president on his first official visit to Britain.

 

Under a brilliant blue sky, demonstrators streamed through central London's main streets carrying placards saying "Dump Trump" and "Keep your tiny hands off women's rights". Opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn was among the throng.

 

Organisers said 250,000 people were protesting in London and other demonstrations were expected in cities around the country, including Windsor where the U.S. President was due to have tea with Queen Elizabeth.

 

"Lock him in the tower," one homemade placard said there, just yards from where Prince Harry married Meghan Markle in May.

 

Police, who declined to put a number on the size of the demonstration, had sealed off parts of London including Piccadilly and Regent Street for marchers, while thousands filled Trafalgar Square to hear speeches.

 

"Trump is not welcome in Britain," said Grish Gregoran, 58, a shopkeeper who took the day off to attend the protests.

 

"We wanted to embarrass him and I think we have done that today. We know how sensitive he is. It is horrible to hear the inflammatory language that he uses and I am embarrassed that (Prime Minister) Theresa May has done so much to welcome him."

 

"DUMP TRUMP"

 

London regards its "special relationship" with the United States as a keystone of foreign policy and May has courted Trump ahead of Britain's departure from the European Union.

 

But some Britons see the U.S. leader as crude, volatile, unreliable and opposed to their values on a range of issues. Those demonstrating against Trump included women's rights campaigners, supporters of immigration and LGBT groups.

 

"Here, queer and angry," said one banner. "Immigration is not a crime," said another.

 

"Our message to our government and our prime minister is: 'We don't want a special relationship with bigots'," Len McCluskey, the head of the country's biggest trade union, told Reuters.

 

Activists kicked off the demonstrations on Friday by floating a six-metre-high (20-ft) blimp outside parliament depicting the U.S. president as a snarling orange baby.

 

Trump told the Sun newspaper he was avoiding the capital as much as possible.

 

"I guess when they put out blimps to make me feel unwelcome, (there is) no reason for me to go to London," he said.

 

London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who has clashed repeatedly with Trump on Twitter, defended the demonstrations as free speech.

 

"The idea that we restrict freedom of speech, the right to assemble, the right to protest because somebody might be offended is a slippery slope," Khan told BBC Radio.

 

Khan said pro-Trump supporters would march on Saturday, although some were present on Friday, separated from the main demonstration by police.

 

A small group of pro-Trump supporters waved the U.S. flag alongside the Union Jack, chanting "We want Trump" and "Trump for 2020".

 

Charlie Moffitt, a 16-year-old student who was wearing a red "Make America Great Again" cap, said: "At a time when we are leaving the European Union we need to be close to our most important ally."

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-07-14

The Trump hate Sheeple seem to be much more civilized in the UK than in the U.S. Of course setting up the ANTIFA head bangers in London was not in the budget.

50 minutes ago, dcutman said:

The Trump hate Sheeple seem to be much more civilized in the UK than in the U.S. Of course setting up the ANTIFA head bangers in London was not in the budget.

Less need  for ANTIFA in the UK. They dispose of fascist scum like Robinson by locking them up like should be.

But what are they protesting about is the question. 

3 hours ago, rooster59 said:

London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who has clashed repeatedly with Trump on Twitter, defended the demonstrations as free speech. 

  

"The idea that we restrict freedom of speech, the right to assemble, the right to protest because somebody might be offended is a slippery slope," Khan told BBC Radio. 

Yet in his speech at SXSW he said abuse on the internet should be taken down. Different rules depending on which side you are on.

#walkaway

3 hours ago, rooster59 said:

a 16-year-old student who was wearing a red "Make America Great Again" cap

That jogs my memory. During the US election I remember seeing a photo of one wit with an amended cap which said, "Make America Great Britain Again".

 

I am no fan of Trump but I really don't like the reporting. Most of the demonstrators are anti-brexiteers and a mixture of small socialist parties and labour activists.

Britain welcomes POTUS not Trump and the silent majority will carry on as if nothing happening and the small, noisy minority will scream "see everyone hates Trump"  for political purposes. 

1 hour ago, Boon Mee said:

But what are they protesting about is the question. 

No, that's not really the question as there is a loooong list of issues to protest about, e.g:

Traitor-In-Chief

The Swamp King continues to antagonize allies and suck up to enemies that his own justice department states are behind what can be considered acts of war.

That also tells you a lot about those who support the vile creature.

Spot on Becker I wonder if there is a brig on air force one I personally would like to see that unamerican tratior taken straight to Leavenworth prison a total train wreck 

Your average anti Trump protester in the UK  :) 

1 hour ago, BobBKK said:

I am no fan of Trump but I really don't like the reporting. Most of the demonstrators are anti-brexiteers and a mixture of small socialist parties and labour activists.

Britain welcomes POTUS not Trump and the silent majority will carry on as if nothing happening and the small, noisy minority will scream "see everyone hates Trump"  for political purposes. 

You seem to have a problem with people exercising their democratic right to peacefully protest.

 

 

2 hours ago, Boon Mee said:

But what are they protesting about is the question. 

 

maybe they did not want to see Trump waving from the Queen’s royal carriage

(The White House initially made clear it regards the carriage procession down the Mall as an essential element of the itinerary for the visit planned for october 2017)

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/trump-demands-gold-plated-welcome-xjnffdq32

 

2 hours ago, Boon Mee said:

But what are they protesting about is the question. 

If you need to ask that question you need to do just a little research.

You'll find answers everywhere you look.

Bottom line is that Britain does not like despots and the fawning May should never have invited him.

4 hours ago, dcutman said:

The Trump hate Sheeple seem to be much more civilized in the UK than in the U.S. Of course setting up the ANTIFA head bangers in London was not in the budget.

Matt Dunham/AP

What a bunch of leftie goons if you want to protest stay at home or work if you are not on universal credit a bunch of Corbyn muppets Trump will impeach himself by tweet sooner or later. 

50 minutes ago, Tug said:

Spot on Becker I wonder if there is a brig on air force one I personally would like to see that unamerican tratior taken straight to Leavenworth prison a total train wreck 

Personally I'd be more than OK if they just dropped him off mid-atlantic.

Quote

"Trump is not welcome in Britain," said Grish Gregoran, 58, a shopkeeper who took the day off to attend the protests.

But illegal criminal economic migrants are or returning ISIS fighters should be housed and have their rights respected huh? Where were you all when Turkey's Erdogan visited the UK earlier this year or Saudi Arabia leaders where in London last time (again, earlier this year), who are all way worse than Trump? The sneering lefties are so hypocritical and intolerant, can you imagine the howls of these monsters if an Obama balloon was flown when he visited London. 

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

You seem to have a problem with people exercising their democratic right to peacefully protest.

 

 

How did you reach that conclusion?  I have stated a fact, which you have ignored by deflecting. They can protest as much as they like and its effect will be NIL but just show that a small minority have no class. Next!

How did you reach that conclusion?  I have stated a fact, which you have ignored by deflecting. They can protest as much as they like and its effect will be NIL but just show that a small minority have no class. Next!

Or job (maybe)


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For information:

 

Great Britain needs its own Trump to get that 'Great' back, I'd say. Perhaps a likely candidate could be found among those demonstrators. 

5 hours ago, Boon Mee said:

But what are they protesting about is the question. 

 the title of this thread should answer your question

13 minutes ago, IAMHERE said:

Great Britain needs its own Trump to get that 'Great' back, I'd say. Perhaps a likely candidate could be found among those demonstrators. 

Peaceful protest with added humour.

 

What better example do you want of what is great about the Britain.

I know six people who took part in this peaceful demonstration.

 

They've all got jobs and all earn considerably above the amount where they might need to rely on welfare. 

 

I wonder if the same can be said of those accusing the protesters of being jobless or welfare scroungers?

5 hours ago, Boon Mee said:

But what are they protesting about is the question. 

If you looked at some other news sources then FOX, you would have known.

Where were all these fools when the King of Saudi Arabia turned up? Only a handful for that one, a country with serious human rights issues.

 

Sheeple is a very good description.

7 hours ago, pegman said:

Less need  for ANTIFA in the UK. They dispose of fascist scum like Robinson by locking them up like should be.

yeah by feeding him to the sharks(a muslim INFESTED prison).

I guess you prefer the desert Nazi to the classic German one, in the UK.

3 hours ago, Opl said:

Matt Dunham/AP

1 minute ago, sungod said:

Its OK to use the C word if you talk about Trump? Anyone else and women's rights would have been all over it, try shouting it out on a normal night and you will be nicked.

Typical leftist hypocrisy. Nothing new here folks.

5 hours ago, BobBKK said:

I am no fan of Trump but I really don't like the reporting. Most of the demonstrators are anti-brexiteers and a mixture of small socialist parties and labour activists.

Britain welcomes POTUS not Trump and the silent majority will carry on as if nothing happening and the small, noisy minority will scream "see everyone hates Trump"  for political purposes. 

The reporting was inaccurate.  I was there at the afternoon march.  Before the march got started  everyone had to listen to speeches by various political parties who tried to  claim ownership of the demonstration. The main unions were also represented with large inflatable balloons. People there were not interested in the political angles, they were there to march against Trump and everything that he stands for.  Towards the end of the speeches the crowd were drowning them out shouting "LET'S GO!" 

 

There were certainly people from all sections of society and many were banging their particular drum.  Camden Lockers (if you are not from London you probably won't get that) mixing with office workers, even a few suits from the city were spotted.  There were doctors and nurses, school teachers, quite a lot of ex-pat Americans and I even talked to a couple who had come from Paris.  Of course I can only speak for the people around me, there were many thousands there and most didn't stay for the Trafalgar Square speeches.  There were demonstrating against Trump and didn't want to join in the political circus addressed by Corbyn..  The march went down Regent Street and many of the office workers were hanging out of their windows and shouting encouragement.

 

It is true that Britain were obliged to welcome POTUS and roll out the red carpet to some degree.  It was protocol that the Queen should meet with him although you will note that none of the other family members were to be seen.  It has to be seen in the bigger picture and the USA are close allies.  So it was hold your nose time and remember that it is the President we were hosting and not the man!

 

The demonstrations however were against the man and not against the USA.   That distinction needs to be noted.