As Donald Trump made his first official visit to the UK, about 100,000 people took to the streets of London to protest – and that’s not to mention the thousands of others across the UK.
The US President is no stranger to human rights controversies, so it’s no surprise that many of those marching today claimed they were doing so out of respect for fundamental rights.
Here, five protestors explain to RightsInfo, in their own words, why this has been a day about human rights.
‘He’s Unleashed A Tsunami of Racism and Misogyny’
Image Credit: Jem Collins / RightsInfo
“I feel that Trump, as a so-called leader of the free world, has unleashed a tsunami of racism and misogyny. On a whole series of issues, whether it’s LGBT+ rights [or otherwise], he’s a very, very dangerous person for human rights.
“The one that comes to mind is abortion rights. The way in which he has a new judge who will definitely turn the balance and overturn some of the hard-won rights of women, and all of the immigration stuff is appalling.”
‘He is a very very dangerous person to human rights’
Rahila Gupta from @SBSisters speaks to us about why she has come to #TrumpProtest 🙌 pic.twitter.com/8fJdUOaq4Z
— RightsInfo (@rights_info) July 13, 2018
“What we don’t want to lose is the argument that human rights are a really important thing for all of us to fight on, for it not to be hidden under a rise of nationalism, which is a danger to all our rights.”
Rahila Gupta is from southallblacksisters.org.uk and lives in London.
‘I’m So Angry, I Can’t Even Say The Words I’m Supposed To Say’
Image Credit: Jem Collins / RightsInfo
“Since I’ve been living here, I felt like I haven’t had a lot of control or opportunities to really express how I feel. This is a great opportunity to come to London to get out all the pent-up anger at the state of my country back home.”
“I’m fighting for my LGBT+ brothers and sisters. My mother is gay, my sister is gay. My sister has a baby with her wife and she has to adopt her own baby because she is scared her right as a parent will get taken away from her and that makes me so angry, I can’t even say the words I’m supposed to say.
I’m fighting for my LGBT+ brothers and sisters. My sister has a baby with her wife and she has to adopt her own baby because she is scared her right as a parent will get taken away.
“And also immigration as well, I’m here on a residency visa … so I know how it feels to feel like a second-class citizen.”
Amy Sparrow lives in London and is originally from Chicago in the US.
‘My Kids Knew What Was Happening and They Think It’s Terrible’
Image Credit: Jem Collins / RightsInfo
“My kids knew what was happening and they think it’s terrible. I think that it’s important to raise my voice and give my children a chance to raise their voice and say when something’s not right. So we’ve come down to be part of a big group to show that we don’t like him and we don’t want him here.
He’s damaging people for their whole lives and we just want to stand strong against that.
“Everything [is awful], but for the separating families and the way immigrants are being treated and separating adults from children … We just believe it’s wrong and he’s being cruel. He’s damaging people for their lives, they’re going to have the effects of this for their whole lives and we just want to stand strong against that.”
Mary McBride is originally from the US and now lives in the UK.
‘There Are So Many Reasons’
Jade (L) and Charlotte (R). Image Credit: Jem Collins / RightsInfo
“[We’re] just here because we don’t feel like Trump should be here. We don’t welcome him, we don’t agree with his morals or his standpoints or his viewpoints and we also don’t agree with the fact we are in allegiance with a president where we don’t stand for the same things.
“We’re really passionate about women’s rights and that was our focus today. We thought we’d go with what we were passionate about. That’s the main reason, but there are so many other reasons. It took five minutes to go through at the beginning all the things everyone was standing for and we obviously stand by all of that as well.”
Jade Tribe and Charlotte Stacey travelled to the protest from Bedford.
