London hosts large anti-Trump protests during state visit

Thousands of anti-Trump protesters descended on London this afternoon, bearing giant balloons depicting Donald Trump in a diaper, dragging MAGA effigies, and waving placards branding him a 'fascist.' The mass demonstration began in central London and moved toward Westminster, with crowds packing Parliament Square as the U.S. president and his wife Melania were hosted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle. What had been billed as a Stop Trump Coalition rally by about 50 organizations quickly took on a broader, anti-war, anti-imperialist tone, with chants of 'free, free Palestine' and a visible Palestinian flag presence among marchers. Police said the mood was largely peaceful, even as the scene underscored the political sensitivity surrounding a state visit that has drawn both allies and critics.

Security was tight in central London, while the Windsor portion of the visit took place largely behind closed doors. Thames Valley Police erected barriers and perimeter controls to manage crowds, and the two-day state visit was set to unfold away from public viewing at Windsor and at Sir Keir Starmer's countryside residence Chequers, where the Trumps were due to stay tomorrow. In central London, about 25 miles east of Windsor, a protester in a Make America Great Again cap dragged a large effigy through the streets, and separate groups carried smaller Trump baby blimps that hark back to the 2019 demonstrations. The march began near the BBC’s Broadcasting House in Portland Place and rolled toward Parliament Square, with demonstrators arriving in the late afternoon as schedules shifted around security corridors.

At Parliament Square, the crowd swelled with participants from left-wing groups such as Amnesty International, the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign, and Stop the War Coalition, who waved Palestinian flags and chanted slogans such as 'Stop the hate, stop the fear. Donald Trump’s not welcome here.' The march took on the appearance of a pro-Palestine rally, with banners and chants carrying messages including 'End the genocide. Stop Trump' and 'Resist fascism. Resist Trump.' Protests included Trump Baby blimps and, at times, an individual dressed as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, holding a sign that read 'War criminals for Trump.' Rosemary Strivens, 70, wearing a keffiyeh, said she believed democracy in the United States and its treatment of marginalized groups was at stake, adding: 'We hate what is happening in America with Trump. We feel that democracy is threatened. Black people. Women. Immigrants. They are all threatened in America. He is scum.'

Musician Billy Bragg performed for the crowd, and former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, along with Zarah Sultana, addressed the rally as they tour ahead of forming a new political party. Zack Polanski, the newly named Green Party leader, described the state visit as 'absolutely outrageous' and argued that the pomp and cost of a state welcome did not reflect British values. He said: 'Of course we should have a relationship with the American president who’s democratically elected, but to give him a state visit, millions of pounds spent on security, a red carpet, the pomp and ceremony of everything that's happening—that's absolutely outrageous.' The Metropolitan Police estimated turnout at the London rally at up to about 5,000 people, a figure reflecting a solid but not overwhelming opposition presence in the capital.

Counter-protesters, including members of Turning Point UK, also tried to engage with the crowd, though tensions remained largely peaceful. In Windsor, police said two people were arrested on state-visit-related charges: a 56-year-old woman, described as being of no fixed address, on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker and using threatening or abusive language, and a 36-year-old man, also described as having no fixed address, on suspicion of public order offenses and assault. Police thanked officers for their work as security measures were maintained. Officials announced that additional demonstrations were planned outside parliamentary buildings across the four nations on Wednesday and Thursday, underscoring the ongoing political tension surrounding the visit.