Donald Trump UK state visit protest sees thousands march in London, rejecting the former US president’s politics of hate and division

The Metropolitan Police estimated around 5,000 people took part, culminating in a rally in front of parliament while Trump received red-carpet treatment at Windsor Castle.

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Carrying placards and chanting slogans, protesters massed near the BBC’s headquarters before marching through central London.

Many waved Palestinian flags, while others carried signs opposing fascism and division. Smaller versions of the giant “Trump baby blimp” made famous in 2019 were also flown.

“We’re protesting, I suppose, about everything about Donald Trump. You don’t know what placard to carry, really, there are so many things to dislike,” said Dave Lockett, a 67-year-old former teacher.

“He’s sowing destruction and disorder throughout the whole Earth.”

The evening rally in Parliament Square was addressed by Green Party leader Zack Polanski and hosted by comedian Nish Kumar.

“This is the moment to challenge everything Donald Trump stands for,” Polanski told the crowd. “This is the moment to reject the politics of hate and division.”

Organised by the Stop Trump Coalition, the protest was backed by groups including Amnesty International UK, Black Lives Matter UK, Greenpeace and the Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

A statement from the organisers mocked Trump for spending most of his visit outside London, claiming he was “hiding” from demonstrators.

London’s mayor, Sadiq Khan, a long-time Trump critic, wrote in The Guardian that the former president had “fanned the flames of divisive, far-right politics” and accused him of scapegoating minorities and adopting authoritarian tactics.

Despite the heavy police presence of more than 1,600 officers, the march passed off peacefully. A counter-demonstration failed to materialise, though a lone Trump supporter holding a “We Love Trump” sign was met with boos.

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Polling released the same day suggested nearly half of Britons opposed inviting Trump for another state visit, with only a quarter believing it would improve UK-US relations.