Trump trouble marks inauguration

Pic: Trina John-Charles

Donald Trump is now the 45th president of the United States of America, but as inauguration day arrived instead of world jubilation people have been making their feelings clear via protest instead.

A compelling challenge came from Bridges Not Walls, who draped huge banners over nine of the main bridges in London including Tower Bridge. The banners showed slogans such as ‘ Migrants Welcome Here’, ‘No To Silence on UK Violence’, ‘Queer Solidarity Smashes Borders’ and ‘Bridges Not Walls’: a rebuttal to Trump’s promise to build a wall across the Mexican border.

Protestors also made use of road bridges as well to unfurl banners from. The Mayor of Hackney joined a banner drop on the bridge at Queensbridge Road, in Haggerston, to much support from passing traffic. Banners were displayed in towns not just around the UK but as part of a global protest, in capitals from Paris to Kathmandu.

 

Hackney Mayor Philip Glanville told East London Lines: “After a year where people are really worried about other people who are trying to divide us, this is us really coming together as a local community around this campaign and standing up for the things that actually bring us together. It’s local people coming together to say that we don’t stand for those values. We stand for something different.”

Protest organiser Marloes Nicholls from Queensbridge, Haggerston, said she was inspired by Bridges Not Walls, who made many of their large, striking, banners at the Five Points Brewing Company also in Hackney. Nicholls said: “It’s just letting the UK (and the world) know that there are people in solidarity with those marginalised by leaders like Trump.”

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