LONDON, England — Although President Donald Trump was not present to see them, activists held a rally in protest of his state visit to the United Kingdom this week.
Trump is spending Wednesday at Windsor Castle, where King Charles III has welcomed him with a red carpet in anticipation of a grand state banquet later in the evening. Meanwhile, the UK-based “Stop Trump Coalition” organized a demonstration in central London, addressing the rise of “fascism” globally, as well as the ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine.
After about an hour of speeches, the protesters began marching toward the Palace of Westminster, the seat of Parliament, where another rally was planned.
A representative from the Stop Trump Coalition mentioned that around 50 activist groups were involved in Wednesday’s event, though the exact number of protesters was not disclosed.
“Following the UK’s largest far-right demonstration last weekend, it is crucial to oppose Donald Trump’s state visit,” organizers stated, referencing the “Unite the Kingdom” protest led by conservative activist Tommy Robinson, which attracted over 100,000 participants, marking it as the right wing’s largest protest in London in decades.
“[British Prime Minister Keir] Starmer’s response to this outrageous display was insufficient, and now he is hosting Trump to discuss nuclear and tech deals that primarily benefit the wealthy while ignoring everyday people,” the Stop Trump Coalition added. “We do not want our Government to compromise our democracy and decency.”
Additionally, on Tuesday evening, as Trump arrived in London, protesters projected images of Trump, Prince Andrew, and disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein onto a wall of Windsor Castle.
Trump has been attempting to minimize the backlash regarding his administration’s handling of the Epstein case, often labeling it a “Democrat hoax.”
In the meantime, Starmer dismissed his former ambassador to the U.S., Lord Peter Mandelson, after it was disclosed that he was part of a group that allegedly provided letters to Epstein for a book celebrating his 50th birthday. Trump denies any involvement in that book.
Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein’s victims, has claimed she was trafficked to Andrew, the younger brother of King Charles III. This scandal led Andrew to step back from public duties in 2020, and his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, stripped him of his military affiliations and royal charitable roles two years later.
Local police quickly intervened during Tuesday’s incident at Windsor, arresting activists responsible for the projections and a large banner displaying the same imagery that had been placed on the castle grounds.
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After his time at Windsor Castle on Wednesday, Trump is scheduled to visit Chequers, the prime minister’s country residence, for a series of bilateral meetings and a joint press conference before returning to Washington, D.C., on Thursday evening.
