M Ghazali Khan | Caravan Daily
LONDON — Tens of thousands have attended a second demonstration in a week against Donald Trump’s ban on Muslims and British Prime Minister Theresa May’s support to him.
Representative of one of the main organizers, Stop the War Coalition, has warned that if Donald Trump was allowed to visit Britain he would face such a big demonstration that would make the anti-Bush or any of the largest demos in British history look very small.
In addition to thousands of printed placards with messages “No to Trump. No to War”, “No to scapegoating Muslims” and “No to Trump, No to War”, protesters waived several touching and appealing hand written slogans making the rally some sort of caption writing talents competition. “When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty” cried one. “You ban Muslims, we ban you” said another. “Take courage for the worst are the harbingers of the best”. Preached yet another.
Rhythmic slogans chanted, in fact sung, by the protesters were equally forceful and emotive such as, “Tear down the fencing, break down the walls”, “Theresa May shame on you, you are a nasty racist too”, “When they say ‘go back’ we say ‘fight back’”, “Say it loud say it clear, immigrants are welcome here”.
Many of the protesters had come with their families and little children. A women representative of London Guantanamo Campaign, dressed in the orange colour uniform and a black hood – the uniform worn by Guantanamo prisoners carried banner saying, “The only place that needs a Muslim ban is Guantanamo”. Talking to this scribe she said, “Eight hundred people have been there. They all have been tortured. The youngest was 12 years old; the oldest was 78. There are still 41 people there. None of them was captured on the battlefield. There were renditions there, or sold to the Americans. None of them is going to stand a trial.”
The protest started from US embassy and ended at 10 Downing Street with speeches delivered by activists and representatives of organisations that called the demonstration including, Muslim Council of Britain, Muslim Association of Britain, CND, Stop the War Coalition etc.
In his video message Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn said, “I support the demand of millions of people in Britain that Donald Trump should not be welcome on a state visit to this country while he continues to propagate his anti-women, anti-Muslim and anti-Mexican policies.”
He added, “Theresa May and the Tories “are on the wrong side of history”.
Stop the War Coalition’s Spokesperson Lindsay German said condemned the ban on Muslims and reminded the audience that four of the banned seven countries have been bombed by US forces.