UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Thousands of protesters gathered in Parliament Square to oppose US President Donald Trump’s second state visit, voicing anger over his policies.
Around 15:00 BST, the organizers of the Stop Trump Coalition, which consists of over 50 unions and charities, marched from Portland Place in central London to Whitehall.
Some demonstrators were carrying posters that read “stop arming Israel,” “no to racism,” and “no to Trump.”
The 20-foot Trump Baby blimp that drifted across crowds during demonstrations against the president’s first state visit in 2019 was carried by others in smaller scale.
Up to 5,000 people are reportedly present at the moment, according to the Metropolitan Police.
According to the force, more than 1,600 police personnel, including 500 from other agencies, have been deployed.
It will be “another busy day” for officers, according to Louise Puddefoot, Deputy Assistant Commissioner for the Met Police. Only a few days have passed since Unite the Kingdom protest.
Police had been in “close contact” with the organizers, she noted, and had urged everyone participating to be “considerate to the local community” and cause as little disruption as possible.
The organizations that make up the Stop Trump Coalition range from pro-Palestine organizations to anti-racism and climate advocates.
Ahead of the march, a spokesperson for the coalition said:
“A government that will bow down to Trump and to racism is one that will open the door to fascism.”
The protest organizations stated that they will stage demonstrations in order to “defeat the politics of Trumpism” and to forward “an alternative, democratic vision of the world based on peace, social justice, and international cooperation,” despite the fact that Trump will not be attending Parliament.
People collected a huge list of complaints about the US president by telling the BBC why they were there in the middle of the throng that began to assemble around BBC Broadcasting House.
Reverend Poppy Hughes, who was asked about those who said vicars should be apolitical, replied:
“Jesus preached peace and compassion and that’s why I’m here”.
Zoe Gardner, a political commentator and one of the organisers of Wednesday’s protest, said that Trump “represents everything that we hate”.
“We want our government to show some backbone, and have a little bit of pride and represent that huge feeling of disgust at Donald Trump’s politics in the UK,”
she added.
Climate campaigner Auriel Dowty Glanville from Wimbledon said she was demonstrating because she believed the president was a “climate denier” and climate change was “the biggest threat facing us on Earth”.
She called the second state visit invite “appalling”, adding: “It’s all about the trade deal.”
Sarah Montgomery and Claudio Solano, from North London, arrived in white protective face masks that read “Trump stinks”.
They said they had had the masks since Trump’s first state visit.
“He still stinks,”
Sarah says.
“Everything he stands for stinks.”
Mr Solano, from Brazil, said he disagreed with both Trump’s policies and his support for Brazil’s former right-wing leader Jair Bolsonaro.
“It is disgusting, and I don’t understand why Britain has to be so cowardly,” he added.
The mob moved, pausing outside Downing Street, which was guarded by Northern Ireland and Wales police.
“Duck Off Donald” and “Feed him to the Corgis” were among the signs held by some of the protesters.
A number of people took to a stage at Parliament Square, where the march came to an end, with musician Billy Bragg performing first.
Green Party leader Zack Polanski, comedian Nish Kumar, and former Labour MPs Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana are all anticipated to speak.
In Windsor, where Trump is spending the day with the Royal Family before the state banquet, a small group of demonstrators also assembled on Wednesday afternoon.
Amy Tisi stated that it was “important to make a stand” because she had demonstrated during Trump’s previous visit. She claimed to have asked whether the “size and scale” of the vacation was intended to boost his self-esteem.
However, one Trump admirer referred to him as “the greatest president” while sporting a Davy Crockett hat. A chorus of jeers erupted from some sections of the audience in response to his statement.
A van bearing a picture of the president and the late convicted paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein was driven through Berkshire earlier on Wednesday.
A Thames Valley Police spokesperson said the driver had left after a conversation with the police, adding:
“No arrests were made and no vehicles were seized.”
As the president landed in the UK on Tuesday, pictures of Trump and Epstein were projected onto Windsor Castle, leading to the arrest of four persons.
What security measures were implemented during the rally?
A number of officers from the Metropolitan Police, totalling in the thousands, were assigned to the event, with some in riot response clothing ready to address potential disturbances or public disorder.
To protect sensitive sites and manage the flow of demonstrators, metal fencing and barricades were created around certain sites, such as Parliament Square and the route of the rally.
A number of cameras captured the event across the area on CCTV, and the police were able to monitor the crowds, including any movements that planted into the suspicion they could become or develop into a threat.
The police operated in conjunction with a range of partner agencies, including local counter-terrorism, and the local intelligence agency in observing to prevent effective and risk assessments.