British protesters tell Trump from Tower Bridge: "Build bridges not walls"

[Jonathan Fairfield]

British protesters tell Trump from Tower Bridge: "Build bridges not walls"

By Alistair Smout and Luke Bridges

 

 

LONDON (Reuters) - A banner reading "Build bridges not walls" was draped across London's Tower Bridge on Friday as part of a series of protests across the world aimed at expressing displeasure at the inauguration of Donald Trump as U.S. president.

 

Protesters on the drawbridge, with its two Gothic-style towers, held up pink letters reading "Act now!" soon after sunrise, while others unfurled the banner over the railings and a speedboat with a black flag reading "build bridges not walls" raced down the River Thames.

 

Beside the British parliament, protesters draped banners saying "Migrants welcome here" and "Migration is older than language" over Westminster bridge. Other protests are planned in London, other British cities and across the world on Friday.

 

Julie Chasin, a 42-year-old teacher originally from New York who has lived in London for a decade, said she joined the protest to hold up one of the pink letters on Tower Bridge as she was concerned about the Trump presidency.

 

"Yes Donald Trump is President, but he still needs to protect everybody's rights," said Chasin, a Democrat who said she worked on Hillary campaign in North Carolina.

 

"It's scary. I hope he's kept in check. I hope everyone who is telling me not to worry, and saying that we have a strong system of checks and balances, I hope that it's true," Chasin said.

 

Trump has repeatedly pledged to "make America great again", drawing strong support especially from areas of industrial decline. He said on Twitter that he would fight very hard to make his presidency a great journey for the American people.

 

TRUMP'S FRESH APPROACH

 

Due to be sworn in at a ceremony in Washington on Friday, he faces protests in Washington during his inauguration, and in cities from Toronto to Sydney, Addis Ababa and Dublin over his politics which critics say are divisive and dangerous.

 

The protest in London was organised by the campaign group also called "Bridges not Walls", in reference to Trump's pledge to build a wall on the Mexican border.

 

"We won't let the politics of hate peddled by the likes of Donald Trump take hold," Nona Hurkmans of Bridges not Walls said in a statement.

 

Trump opponents have been angered by his comments during the campaign about women, illegal immigrants and Muslims and his pledges to scrap the Obamacare health reform and build a wall on the Mexican border.

 

The Republican's supporters admire his experience in business, including as a real estate developer and reality television star, and view him as an outsider who will take a fresh approach to politics.

 

For some on the protest in London, Trump's victory a little over 4 months after the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union, symbolises a rise of populism across the West.

 

"For me it's about not just the inauguration of Trump, but about the rise of right wing populism across Western Europe and the US, and Trump's inauguration is a celebration of that," Jac St John, 26, a doctoral student from London, who

unfurled one of the banners.

 

(Reporting by Alistair Smout and Luke Bridges; editing by Kate Holton and Guy Faulconbridge, Ralph Boulton)

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-01-20

[optad]

He has Nigel Farage on speed dial. Both those losers currently have things to say.

 

I would suggest everyone has something to learn from these intellectual midgets, fear mongers and visionary paupers by remembering they have a vote. 

 

Use it next time. 

[Guest]

UK used to be the one entity to build bridges between the collaborative countries. It worked well for a good time. 

EU used to be the one entity to build bridges between the collaborative countries. It worked well for a good time. 

 

There was a time when EU wasn't too picky what the building materials were made of. EU kept building bridges, even if the engineers warned not to go too far. 

EU was optimistic about the future. That is the good way to live and the way forward. 

I still EU is exactly that. It's far better to increase the opportunities where we can live and what we can do. That is the reason why I'm thinking going back to EU - to have more freedom than I have in Thailand. 

[Savilesghost]

Maybe if those protesting and the others slqgging Trump off all the time, stop calling people who disagree with them racists, stupid etc maybe then bridges can be built, but it is perfectly clear to me that its the lefie loonies who are the intolerant ones 

[Savilesghost]

15 minutes ago, oilinki said:

UK used to be the one entity to build bridges between the collaborative countries. It worked well for a good time. 

EU used to be the one entity to build bridges between the collaborative countries. It worked well for a good time. 

 

There was a time when EU wasn't too picky what the building materials were made of. EU kept building bridges, even if the engineers warned not to go too far. 

EU was optimistic about the future. That is the good way to live and the way forward. 

I still EU is exactly that. It's far better to increase the opportunities where we can live and what we can do. That is the reason why I'm thinking going back to EU - to have more freedom than I have in Thailand. 

 

The EU was never about building bridges it was all about power and control by a few with their snouts in the trough in Brussels and building the united facist states of europe 

[Jingthing]

Thanks to the protesters in London.

I'd really like to see similar in Moscow but of course there they're celebrating the ascension of a grand useful Yankee idiot. 

 

Edited January 20, 2017 by Jingthing

[Chicog]

Would have been better to suggest he takes a flying jump off it.

[USPatriot]

The cause of the water rising on the planet is   all of the snowflakes melting.

Trumps cabinet is filled with successful  people that did not make their money in politics.

Trump knows how to negotiate.  The wall has a purpose I'm sick of illegals in America getting better treatment than our military personnel.

 

Illegals being let go when a citizen would go to jail for the same thing.

Ford, Hyundai and other companies are no longer moving to mexico and Trump isn't even in office yet.

 

Give the guy a chance if the Democrats don't want to work with him then it will be their loss.

Edited January 20, 2017 by USPatriot
Typeo

[Luckysilk]

Who cares ....... bunch of yobs on the dole.

[Guest]

51 minutes ago, Savilesghost said:

 

The EU was never about building bridges it was all about power and control by a few with their snouts in the trough in Brussels and building the united facist states of europe 

Funny the way you think...

[Savilesghost]

2 hours ago, oilinki said:

Funny the way you think...

Not really the information is all there if one cares to look for it, 

 

The common market, and single currency were the first phases of a much larger "master plan", you will also note the more recent plan for the formation of an EU army, an army that certain UK politians lied about and said there were no such plans in place 

 

1. Common market

2 Single currency

3. Centralised goverment ie Brussels

4. Plans for an army

 

These steps plus many more are in indicative of nations co operating for a common good of member states, this is a back door attempt at creating a super state governed solely from Brussels, no different from what Hitler attempted to do 

 

[Savilesghost]

3 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Thanks to the protesters in London.

I'd really like to see similar in Moscow but of course there they're celebrating the ascension of a grand useful Yankee idiot. 

 

And a perfect example of what i was talking about in an earlier comment 

[Jingthing]

56 minutes ago, Savilesghost said:

And a perfect example of what i was talking about in an earlier comment 

If you're suggesting that all people should just bow down in support just because that buffoon Putin puppet trump is now president, I'm not sure what kind of political system you think the USA system is. The opposition may be weak, but against him, it's needed badly.

Edited January 20, 2017 by Jingthing

[alex8912]

Yah England is so full of them they will soon build a bridge to Sweden who still wants them!  

I just love the coward protesters in the US dressed  in black hiding all of their faces except their  eyes. Reminds me of....,.

[Savilesghost]

7 hours ago, Jingthing said:

If you're suggesting that all people should just bow down in support just because that buffoon Putin puppet trump is now president, I'm not sure what kind of political system you think the USA system is. The opposition may be weak, but against him, it's needed badly.

Not in the least but once again the  rhetoric you use even in this post supports once again my original comment 

 

Your the one making devisive comments,  please to support your comment that he is a Putin puppet with a factual link and please dont quote CNN or some other news source which post false news stories 

 

Why as an American would one be sitting on  plane, called the USA wishing it to crash, this is exactly what people like you and others are wishing for ?  like children who are not winning so they  spit the dummy, want to change the rules to suit them and then  want to take the ball home 

 

I will reserve my judgement on Trump until he starts doing things, not basing my judgement on things he has said, if he does half the things he said he will do, he will be one of the most productive Presidents in a long time.

 

I am not American but think he is right when he look after Americans first

 

 

 

 

 

[Bannoi]

Has he got the power to use nukes against IS (small ones) or would he be stopped. Interesting times ahead methinks.

[alanrchase]

14 hours ago, Savilesghost said:

Maybe if those protesting and the others slqgging Trump off all the time, stop calling people who disagree with them racists, stupid etc maybe then bridges can be built, but it is perfectly clear to me that its the lefie loonies who are the intolerant ones 

 

Pot calling the kettle black. Post made some sense but then you had to spoil it with "lefties loonies".

[Savilesghost]

4 minutes ago, alanrchase said:

 

Pot calling the kettle black. Post made some sense but then you had to spoil it with "lefties loonies".

Well ok , but if this is true what right do the cultural marxists have to take the moral high ground then ?...could we agreed they are as bad as each other at least ?

 

On one side we have the red neck rhetoric of Trump and the other gangs of hysterical little girls full a self entitlement who have no grasp on reality who start labelling people racist and bigots when people present an opposing postion to their own 

[geriatrickid]

15 hours ago, optad said:

He has Nigel Farage on speed dial. Both those losers currently have things to say.

 

I would suggest everyone has something to learn from these intellectual midgets, fear mongers and visionary paupers by remembering they have a vote. 

 

Use it next time. 

 

Hmm

Farage is such a loser that he managed to win the Brexit vote?

Trump is such a loser that he amassed a  mega business empire, the support of  tens of millions and won the  presidency of the USA?

 

It's your condescending dismissive arrogance that put these two people  where they are today.

Because you disagree, doesn't make them losers. I have no love for either of these two, but they gave voice to the frustrations of tens of millions who have been pissed upon for decades by people like you. You will propel them further unless you reconsider your approach.

 

[optad]

4 minutes ago, geriatrickid said:

 

Hmm

Farage is such a loser that he managed to win the Brexit vote?

Trump is such a loser that he amassed a  mega business empire, the support of  tens of millions and won the  presidency of the USA?

 

It's your condescending dismissive arrogance that put these two people  where they are today.

Because you disagree, doesn't make them losers. I have no love for either of these two, but they gave voice to the frustrations of tens of millions who have been pissed upon for decades by people like you. You will propel them further unless you reconsider your approach.

 

 

TV is just sport for you geriatric. Not issue based at all. Can't have much else going on.

 

I clearly suggested that both, Trump and Farage have things to say even if i denigrated what they stand for. You seem to agree yet want the stoush. This is a carry over from your last spanking. Fair enough.

Quote

Both those losers currently have things to say.

 

I also lamented "everyone has something to learn from these intellectual midgets" which you and your posting history seems to agree with. You could have expounded on that point but choose the attack.

 

Post to post your raison d'etre is the same.

 

I am not into ego on thaivisa. No time for it geriatric.  I prefer comment on issues. This gets harder here as too many posters now carry gross islamophobic povs or just your run of the mill xenophobia which seems to have become  orthodox on thaivisa discussion boards.

 

 

[Savilesghost]

13 minutes ago, geriatrickid said:

 

Hmm

Farage is such a loser that he managed to win the Brexit vote?

Trump is such a loser that he amassed a  mega business empire, the support of  tens of millions and won the  presidency of the USA?

 

It's your condescending dismissive arrogance that put these two people  where they are today.

Because you disagree, doesn't make them losers. I have no love for either of these two, but they gave voice to the frustrations of tens of millions who have been pissed upon for decades by people like you. You will propel them further unless you reconsider your approach.

 

 

It amused me no end when people start labelling the likes of farage and Trump losers, both gentlemen have acheived exactly what they set out to do, Farage gave the undertaking he would get the UK out of the EU and Brexit happened,

 

Trump set out to become President which came into fruition some 12 hours ago

 

In response to the person who labelled these losers, all i can say is....loser, spit the dummy, want to take ball home, get over it snowflake 

 

 

 

 

[alanrchase]

 
It amused me no end when people start labelling the likes of farage and Trump losers, both gentlemen have acheived exactly what they set out to do, Farage gave the undertaking he would get the UK out of the EU and Brexit happened,
 
Trump set out to become President which came into fruition some 12 hours ago
 
In response to the person who labelled these losers, all i can say is....loser, spit the dummy, want to take ball home, get over it snowflake 
 
 
 
 

I see you still haven't taken your own advice from post #4.

[optad]

4 minutes ago, Savilesghost said:

 

It amused me no end when people start labelling the likes of farage and Trump losers, both gentlemen have acheived exactly what they set out to do, Farage gave the undertaking he would get the UK out of the EU and Brexit happened,

 

Trump set out to become President which came into fruition some 12 hours ago

 

In response to the person who labelled these losers, all i can say is....loser, spit the dummy, want to take ball home, get over it snowflake 

 

 I disagree with both their politics differently.

 

Farage I grant ran a pov and won fairly. It borders racial lines but understand his and his supporters rationale. I lament that it is peculiarly  representative across spreads of the UK ie not urban centres and a voluminous disparity in a voters with a poor general turn out, but it is what it is. Brexit has merit and will watch.

 

Trump is just an egregious mistake. 

[Briggsy]

Trump has no policy. All of his statements are very lacking in policy detail or contradicted by members of his administration. Therefore no point protesting against / to Trump.

 

He just spouts some slogans and hot air to keep his Mid-West cheer squad happy.

 

His real goal is to boost his brand and multiply his family's net worth. I believe he will be successful in this.

[Savilesghost]

14 minutes ago, optad said:

 I disagree with both their politics differently.

 

Farage I grant ran a pov and won fairly. It borders racial lines but understand his and his supporters rationale. I lament that it is peculiarly  representative across spreads of the UK ie not urban centres and a voluminous disparity in a voters with a poor general turn out, but it is what it is. Brexit has merit and will watch.

 

Trump is just an egregious mistake. 

 

Mistake or not on Trump only time will tell,

 

Trump was elected into power by the US democratic process in the same way Brexit was a democratic vote, contray to what the remoaners tell people 

 

Trump won via the process in place fair and square, cant now start howling you dont like the rules of the game because one lost 

[optad]

Just now, Savilesghost said:

 

Mistake or not on Trump only time will tell,

 

Trump was elected into power by the US democratic process in the same way Brexit was a democratic vote, contray to what the remoaners tell people 

 

Trump won via the process in place fair and square, cant now start howling you dont like the rules of the game because one lost 

 

What is wrong with you?

 

I claimed trump's election was a "mistake". That is an opinion which i hold and know many disagree. I am not howling, indeed laughing that he was put forward and fairly elected. Research my posts. Long history on this topic. None will represent anything other than that. No whinging. I am stunned [his idiot factor is immense] but mildly amused too, as much as one can be in Australia.

 

However, you called for decorum post 4 and yet slag away. Donald's hypocrisy is catching ~ being quick to preach then point no?

 

Not sure where hypocrisy's home is but I am sure you have a ready bed there .

[Savilesghost]

1 minute ago, optad said:

 

What is wrong with you?

 

I claimed trump's election was a "mistake". That is an opinion which i hold and know many disagree. I am not howling, indeed laughing that he was put forward and fairly elected. Research my posts. Long history on this topic. None will represent anything other than that. No whinging. I am stunned [his idiot factor is immense] but mildly amused too, as much as one can be in Australia.

 

However, you called for decorum post 4 and yet slag away. Donald's hypocrisy is catching ~ being quick to preach then point no?

 

Not sure where hypocrisy's home is but I am sure you have a ready bed there .

Where did i say you were howling or whinging by saying Trump was a mistake ? I am confused ?  You stated Brexit / farage was democratic, and all i stated so was Trumps election, my remarks about changing the rules when one loses were rhetorical

[Rimmer]

A troll/flame has been removed also a reply to it

[Caxa]

Politics is showmanship, government is business, draw your own conclusions...

[petesc55]

How about a toll bridge?

 

(Over a moat)