Hundreds of thousands of anti-Trump demonstrators took to the streets of London and in separate protests across the U.K. on Friday in a massive and historic show of opposition to a sitting U.S. president.
After Donald Trump was greeted with angry protesters as he arrived in London on Thursday to meet with U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May, a 20-foot-tall Trump baby blimp took flight over the city early on Friday as the massive "Carnival of Resistance" protests—which are slated to last through the weekend—kicked off.
250,000 people are protesting #togetheragainsttrump in central London right now! #resist #carnivalofresistance #UKtrumpvisit pic.twitter.com/bTacIgyvpT
— Stop Trump (@UKStopTrump) July 13, 2018
My report for @euronews on today’s #TrumpVisitUK #TrumpProtests in central London as hundreds of thousands try to #BringtheNoise: pic.twitter.com/B35yB5L650
— Vincent McAviney (@VinnyMcAv) July 13, 2018
The controversial blimp depicting US president Donald Trump as a nappy-clad baby has taken flight in London as crowds gather for a major demonstration #TrumpBaby https://t.co/BSEJ05ZsvD pic.twitter.com/eY2XpSahrJ
— ITV News (@itvnews) July 13, 2018
While May and Trump held hands then delivered a press conference at Chequers, tens of thousands of demonstrators poured into the streets for the main event—a 2pm march to Trafalgar Square in Central London, where anti-Trump Britons plan to host a rally Friday evening, despite accusations that U.K. officials aimed to curtail protests.
Participants shared updates on social media with the hashtags #TrumpUKVisit, #StopTrump, #TogetherAgainstTrump, and #CarnivalofResistance.
This is the #carnivalofresistance #13july #resist #UKtrumpvisit pic.twitter.com/PJmPHcCwNX
— Stop Trump (@UKStopTrump) July 13, 2018
We're joining the #carnivalofresistance today to send a clear message to the UK government: stop making us the puppet of #Trump's America. #TrumpVisitUK #13July #TogetherAgainstTrump #StopTrumpism #Resist pic.twitter.com/ghrs1ywW2n
— Global Justice Now (@GlobalJusticeUK) July 13, 2018
More and more people are arriving with their placards, smiles and humour to #London’s #CarnivalofResistance #StopTrump#TogetherAgainstTrump @UKStopTrump pic.twitter.com/naP4NxXqRk
— Shaista Aziz (@shaistaAziz) July 13, 2018
Several of the events have been organized by the Stop Trump Coalition, which played a key role in Trump's previous canceled trips and warns that "Trumpism directly threatens steps towards tackling" several issues including inequality, peace and disarmament, climate change, fighting discrimination—"particularly against already marginalized groups like migrants and Muslims"—and corporate greed. The Trump administration's family separation policy has further fueled widespread outrage and opposition to his visit.
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In a column for the Guardian on Thursday, Owen Jones, who is part of the coalition, noted that "some of the establishment opposition has focused on Trump's vulgarity, his manners, that he is somehow unpresidential, rather than his political substance and what he represents," and emphasized the importance of protesting against Trump's actions and policies.
"Yes, Trump is a contemptible misogynist, an anti-Muslim bigot, a scapegoater of migrants, a man whose administration separates screaming children from their parents and locks them in cages," he wrote. "Yet the protests against him must not see him simply as a pantomime villain, but as the chief representative of an extremely dangerous global movement."
Jones posted a video from the protests to Twitter:
Oh my word. This protest is absolutely huge. On a week day as well. Wow. #TrumpProtests pic.twitter.com/GWj7Wy2Id4
— Owen Jones (@OwenJones84) July 13, 2018
Earlier in the day, the Women's March London held a #BringTheNoise March followed by a 2pm rally in Parliament Square. "His presidency has been characterized by the spreading of fear, hate, and conflict worldwide," the group's website declares. "These are not our values."
We are setting up in Parliament Square with the marvellous @TrumpBabyUK flying high See you at 1-30 to #BringTheNoise at the square. March starts 12 noon BBC Portland Place pic.twitter.com/fjNFp7SPog
— Women's March London (@womensmarchlon) July 13, 2018
We are London . We stand together #BringTheNoise pic.twitter.com/nn0FrK5YQ3
— Women's March London (@womensmarchlon) July 13, 2018
Ready for Labour Women to #BringtheNoise to @womensmarchlon! #TrumpUKVisit #hearourroar See you at The Langham Portland Place! pic.twitter.com/tTVUprcxeW
— LabourWomensNetwork (@LabourWomensNet) July 13, 2018
The demonstrations Friday followed protests Thursday, including the global consumer group SumOfUs projecting the message "resist Trumpism everywhere" onto the Palace of Westminster, London's iconic Marble Arch, and Cable Street in the East End.
"As he begins his visit to the U.K., SumOfUs members want to express their solidarity with people in the United States who suffer at the hands of President Trump. But our message is also for people around the world, wherever they are," said senior campaigner Sondhya Gupta. "The U.S. president's policies are part of a growing, international tide of hatred, bigotry, and corporate greed that must stop."


