Thousands of Britons hold protests against Trump

Thousands of Britons hold protests against Trump





An 82ft banner unfurled from Tower Bridge was among the signs of protest today as thousands of Britons showed their opposition to Donald Trump.

Large groups, including pop star Lily Allen, gathered outside the US Embassy in London as Trump took the oath to become the 45th President of the USA today.

There were also rallies in Brighton, Manchester and Edinburgh, where protesters donned Trump masks to make their opposition to the new President known.





The placard reading 'Act Now! Build Bridges Not Walls' was revealed on the bridge in London at 8.30am today, and similar banners were placed on every major bridge across the River Thames as far as Vauxhall.



More than 1,000 protesters held up placards outside the US Embassy and cheered as speakers from campaign group Stand Up To Racism vowed to unite against the President 'shoulder to shoulder'.

The crowd chanted: 'Hey, ho, sexist Trump has got to go.'

Among those present was Lily Allen, who has been an outspoken activist for left-wing causes.

Mother and daughter Alice, 50, and Georgina Yelland, 14, from Kingston, Surrey, said they were worried about someone with no political experience running the White House.



Alice said: 'I just fail to believe that somebody like Donald Trump is in power with no political experience.

'It's not a good idea, we wanted Bernie Sanders to win.'

Mum Alice said: 'He says racist and sexist things, he was voted in because there is a lot of poverty in America and someone like Trump appeals directly to their concerns.

'He appeals to people's darker sides.'

The Metropolitan Police confirmed to MailOnline that no arrests have been made in the capital during anti-Trump rallies.



Californian Katie Golden, who was among the protesters in London, held up a placard saying: 'Dear Queen, we are sorry. Take us back? Love America.'

The 27-year-old said: 'Today is the day the wrong people became rulers for our nation.

'Trump represents everything about my country that is wrong and the Americans who voted for Trump are realising that the country we think we are part of is not the America on the world stage.

'There are millions of Americans whom he does not represent, I am thinking now of Muslims, Lesbians and LGBT people. I am worried for myself but also for Hispanics and African Americans, I'm concerned that they are no longer protected.'

Cedric Smith, 57, from Los Angeles said: 'The people who voted for Trump are looking for a myth.

'They want black people to know their place and to go back to the 1950s.

'Trump is the rich kid who grew up with everyone hating him, we know him as the celebrity who said 'you're fired' and now the stupid people have put him in charge.'



The UK protests joined other demonstrations in cities around the world as Mr Trump is sworn in as US president, with the largest protest in Washington DC tomorrow when 200,000 people are expected to join a women's march.

Demonstrators have already clashed with police officers outside a pro-Trump rally in the US capital last night, having gathered outside the National Press Club to oppose a group of Trump backers staging a 'DeploraBall'.

This was an event named after Hillary Clinton branded them a 'basket of deplorables' during the election. Police appeared to use pepper spray to disperse the protesters while smoke was also seen filling the street.

Officers announced later that a man had been charged with conspiracy to commit an assault. Security officials have expressed

concerns about possible clashes between Trump supporters and opponents.