Protesters dressed up in giant orange heads and carried life-size dolls in a huge anti-Donald Trump protest through central London this afternoon (Wednesday, September 17). Thousands marched from Portland Square to Parliament Square in opposition to Donald Trump’s second state visit where he has already met Princess Kate and Prince William as well as King Charles and Queen Camilla.
The Metropolitan Police said up to 5,000 people attended the rally in Parliament Square, where speakers including former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and leader of the Green party Zack Polanski spoke out against Mr Trump’s visit.
Around 1,600 police officers lined the streets as protesters marched through the capital on Wednesday afternoon, with people from as many as 50 campaign groups taking part. Mr Polanski told the PA news agency the pomp and ceremony of the US president’s state visit was “absolutely outrageous”.
He said: “Of course, we should have a relationship with the American president who’s democratically elected, but to give him a state visit, millions of pounds spent on security, a red carpet, the pomp and ceremony of everything that’s happening – that’s absolutely outrageous.
“We had racist marches on our streets this Saturday. And, actually, that’s a moment that Keir Starmer should be in front and centre outside Downing Street, essentially bringing the country together. What we’re seeing is this rolling out the red carpet for a man who absolutely does not represent British values.”
At the central London rally, Mr Corbyn congratulated activists who projected an image of Mr Trump and paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein onto Windsor Castle. Trump’s state visit will continue tomorrow, after spending the night at Windsor Castle, he and his wife are set to meet the Prime Minister and his wife Lady Victoria at Chequers
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