On Wednesday, thousands gathered in central London, brandishing placards and chanting slogans, to voice their opposition to US President Donald Trump’s rare second state visit to the United Kingdom.
According to estimates from London’s Metropolitan Police, approximately 5,000 demonstrators took part in the protest, which culminated in a large rally outside the Houses of Parliament.
While Trump was receiving formal honors at Windsor Castle, located about 22 miles (35 kilometers) west of London, protesters marched through the city center to express their disapproval on the visit’s first full day.
“We’re here to protest pretty much everything about Donald Trump. It’s hard to pick just one message because there’s so much to oppose,” said Dave Lockett, a 67-year-old former educator.
“He’s spreading chaos and destruction worldwide… If his ideology takes root here, we’re looking at a rise of fascism in Britain,” he warned.
Among the speakers at the Parliament Square rally, hosted by comedian Nish Kumar, were left-wing politicians including Zack Polanski, the newly appointed leader of the Green Party.
“We stand united to declare that this visit is not representative of us,” Polanski stated, referring to the invitation extended by the Labour government.
“Now is the time to confront everything Trump embodies and reject the politics of hatred and division.”
The demonstration began earlier near the BBC headquarters, where participants held a diverse array of banners and flags, highlighting causes from Palestinian solidarity to anti-fascism.
Amid rhythmic drumming, some protesters brought smaller replicas of the infamous Trump baby balloon, which had flown during his 2019 visit.
Yashi Sriram, a 32-year-old doctor originally from India, carried a sign that read: “End the genocide. Stop Trump.”
“My main motivation was to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people,” she explained.
The event was organized by the Stop Trump Coalition, a broad alliance including Amnesty International UK, Black Lives Matter UK, the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, and Greenpeace.
The coalition criticized Trump’s limited time in London during the visit.
“He’s avoiding the city because he knows we’re protesting,” the group said in a pre-march statement.
“Instead, he’ll be secluded in Windsor, taking a lonely carriage ride that no one will witness. That’s the impact of our protest.”
At the evening rally, chants of “Say it loud, say it clear: Donald Trump not welcome here” echoed as speakers condemned the president.
To maintain order, the Metropolitan Police deployed over 1,600 officers, including 500 reinforcements from other forces.
A planned counter-protest failed to materialize, and the event concluded without any arrests or disturbances.
One solitary supporter, surrounded by police, held a “We Love Trump” sign but was met with jeers from the crowd.
Trump’s popularity remains low in the UK, with recent YouGov/Sky polling revealing nearly half of Britons oppose his second state visit.
Only about 25% believe the visit will strengthen UK-US relations.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who famously permitted the Trump baby blimp to fly during the president’s first term visits, has been a vocal critic throughout their ongoing dispute.
In an op-ed for The Guardian, Khan wrote, “Trump and his inner circle have arguably done more than anyone else to fuel divisive far-right politics globally in recent years.”
Over the weekend, an estimated 150,000 people attended a rally in London organized by far-right figure Tommy Robinson, which saw clashes resulting in 26 police injuries.
Khan, the first Muslim mayor of a major Western capital since his 2016 election, accused Trump of “targeting minorities, unlawfully deporting US citizens, and deploying military forces in diverse urban areas.”
“These actions don’t just contradict Western democratic values-they mirror tactics used by authoritarian regimes,” he asserted.
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