5 godzin temu
Anti-Trump campaigners are preparing a mass demonstration in central London on the first day of Donald Trump's state visit to the UK. The Stop Trump Coalition is organising protests across the capital and near Windsor Castle during the controversial US president's high-profile trip in two months' time.
Buckingham Palace confirmed on Monday that the King will host Trump at the Berkshire royal residence from September 17-19. The visit will include a ceremonial welcome and state banquet, marking Trump's second state visit to the UK - an unprecedented gesture for any American president.
Protesters plan mass demonstration
Trump's previous state visit in 2019 drew thousands of demonstrators onto London's streets in opposition. A 20ft Trump baby blimp famously took to the skies above Parliament Square, just as it had during his earlier 2018 visit when he was a billionaire-turned politician.
The Stop Trump Coalition has not confirmed whether the famous inflatable effigy will return, but urged supporters to "keep your eyes on the skies". The original blimp, which depicts Trump as an angry baby in a nappy clutching a mobile phone, was donated to the Museum of London in 2021.
Creative protests from previous visits
Previous demonstrations featured inventive creations including a 16ft talking robot of Trump sitting on a gold toilet. The robot played audio of Trump's own voice saying phrases like "No collusion", "You are fake news" and "I'm a very stable genius".
Other protesters included Handmaids Against Trump - women draped in red with white hoods referencing Margaret Atwood's dystopian novel about reproductive rights. These demonstrations highlighted various opposition themes during Trump's earlier visits.
September protest details announced
On September 17, demonstrators will assemble at London's Embankment at 2pm before marching to a 5pm rally at an undisclosed location. Further protests near Windsor Castle are planned once more details of Trump's itinerary become available.
Security is expected to reach peak levels for the American leader, who survived an assassination attempt last year. The timing of the visit coincides with Parliament's recess for party conference season.
Coalition spokesperson criticises visit
Stop Trump Coalition spokesperson Seema Syeda said the demonstration would be "massive" against Trump's state visit. "Trump and his authoritarian politics are not welcome here," she stated, criticising Keir Starmer for "rolling out the red carpet for Trump".
Syeda claimed organisers were "running scared" by choosing dates that prevent Trump from addressing Parliament. "We know that Trump is deeply unpopular with the public," she added, promising to mobilise "all the movements - for democracy, for equality, against climate change, for a free Palestine".
Parliament timing prevents address
The House of Commons will not be sitting during Trump's visit due to the party conference recess, preventing him from addressing Parliament as French President Emmanuel Macron did last week. However, the House of Lords will remain in session.
Nick Dearden, director of Global Justice Now, accused Trump of engaging in "economic warfare against both friend and foe". He claimed Trump was "bullying countries, including the UK, to give in to the demands of American multinational corporations".
Growing resistance movement cited
Dearden suggested Trump was taking America "down an increasingly fascist path - crushing the rights of Americans, ignoring the courts, threatening the media and universities". He questioned why Britain would accord Trump a second state visit.
"78% of Britons have a negative view of Trump, and with good reason," Dearden stated. "If Starmer won't stand up to Trump, we will - by taking to the streets as part of the growing global resistance against Trump and the oligarchs that surround him."
(PA) Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
