Report on Saturday’s protest: Stop Trump’s Muslim Ban – Stop May Supporting It
Stop the War Coalition
Saturday’s march against Trump’s Muslim ban was big, young, diverse and very, very angry. At least 40,000 people marched from the US Embassy to Downing Street in outrage at the ban but also in disgust at Theresa May’s insistence on standing by the most reactionary US president in history.
The focus was on Donald Trump’s appalling ban on travel from seven Muslim countries, four of which, as Stop the War convenor Lindsey German said, have been bombed or invaded by the US military in the last few years. But the placards expressed the huge range of reasons that are bringing people into the street against Trump from sexism and homophobia, to the threat he poses to the environment, to refugees and all minorities in the US and beyond. And also the threat he poses of further wars. In the few short weeks of his presidency he has already provoked China and North Korea, threatened to move the US Embassy in Israel to Jersusalem and to escalate military intervention in the Middle East. In particular he seems intent on renewing confrontation with Iran.
And of course much of the anger was focussed on Theresa May’s grovelling to Trump on her Washington visit. It was clear from the mood on the demonstration that if the Prime Minister insists on any kind of official Trump visit, London will be inundated with protestors from all over the country and probabaly brought to a standstill.
The movement against Trump is clearly gaining momentum. And it is broadening. As well as trade union leaders, MP’s, and campaigning groups, the demonstration was addressed by leaders of the main Muslim organisations in Britain, NGOs, Jewish groups, a Momentum activist, a Green Party representative and Jeremy Corbyn sent a video message in support.
The next steps in the campaign are the Stand up to Trump National Organising Summit on Saturday February 18 in Friend’s Meeting House London and the National Day of protest on February 20, the day parliament debates the Trump visit.
Click Here for aerial footage of the demonstration.
