On February 3rd 2017 the ‘Stop the War Coalition’ organized a March from Grosvenor Square to Downing Street. The crowds marched down Park Lane - filling the length of the famous London street - and along Piccadilly towards Downing Street. The March was a result of the petition to prevent Donald Trump from making ‘a State Visit to the United Kingdom’. The petition received 1,860,607 million signatures and led to the protest a few weeks later, which closed down central London.

During a recent trip to the Whitehouse Prime Minister, Theresa may, invited US President, Donald Trump, to visit Britain. Only hours later Donald Trump introduced a 90-day travel ban on residents from seven predominantly Muslim countries - Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen. The decision was taken heavily by not only the public of Britain but also a large majority of the World; naming it a ‘Racist Ban’. Mr Trump stated that the visit was; ‘to stop "radical Islamic terrorists" from coming to America’.

British Political Activist, Kevin Ovenden, points out in his article; "imperialist wars generate of necessity murderous racism" but Trump's administration seems particularly keen to advance an "ideological-race war". 

The March on February 3rd 2017 was organised by ‘Stop the War Coalition, Stand Up to Racism and the Muslim Association of Britain’, amongst others. The March also consisted of speakers such as: ‘Dawn Butler MP, Catherine West MP, Andrew Murray (Unite the Union), Kevin Courtney (general secretary of NUT), Moazzam Begg (former Guantanamo prisoner and others. Video statements from Jeremy Corbyn and Peter Hain’ were also shown.

Sarah Abid, an East London student gives her reasons for protesting; ‘It is ignorance that leads to Racism, Sexism and Homophobia, if we don’t get out whether it be in protest or else, and make the effort to educate ourselves on these subjects; we will never get closer to eradicating them’.

Protestors chanted through the busy streets of London; ‘Theresa May, Shame on you’ and ‘When they say go back, we say fight back’, referring to both Donald Trump’s state visit and ‘Muslim Ban’.

The March proved a success, Jeremy Corbyn Labour Party leader states in his video message played at the protest; he thanked the protesters for showing their support for a “society based on compassion, a politics of hope and solidarity with those under attack from the powerful and those who are full of hate’. He said: “Let no one be in doubt that I will oppose and the Labour party will oppose all those who fan the flames of fear at home and abroad.”

The Protest proved a success, bringing large amounts of media and MP attention; it is evident that Britain will bring large numbers to the streets in the fight to ‘Stand up to Trump’.

MARWA BENAICHOUCHE - WALTHAMSTOW ACADEMY