The massive protest against Donald Trump’s Muslim and Syrian refugee ban, that exploded across the country Friday night, has made its way across the pond to thousands in the UK who also took to the streets. The predominant protest is against Trump’s Muslim ban itself, but there are also protests against Prime Minister Theresa May and how she handled her visit with Trump last week, some suspecting she was aware of the upcoming ban as she held his tiny hands. And there are protests against Trump’s upcoming trip to the UK for an official state visit. Masses of people simply want no part of him, and especially do not want him to be received by the Queen or the Prince of Wales. Here is a short 2 ½-minute video of some of the UK street protests against Trump:
Nicola Slawson with The Guardian reports an online petition calling for Donald Trump to be uninvited and disallowed the official state visit. She writes the petition, that has now garnered well over 1,500,000 signatures, at one point was being signed by more than a thousand people per minute. Much like America’s We The People White House petitions, the UK petition requires 100,000 signatures in order to be considered for a debate in Parliament. That number was far exceeded and an emergency debate in Parliament was called, which began on Monday. Tim Farron, the Liberal Democrat leader expressed his disdain for the Prime Minister’s recent visit with Trump, saying:
“What I am opposed to is (Prime Minister) Theresa May, when she should have gone over to the States to defend our corner and stand up to Donald Trump, has gone over and held his hand and is being seen now as giving him a royal audience in the United Kingdom.”
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn called for Trump’s visit to be postponed while Trump’s immigration ban was in place saying,
“Trump should not be welcomed to Britain while he abuses our shared values with his shameful Muslim ban and attacks on refugees’ and women’s rights.”
Corbyn adds that May should not only postpone Trump’s visit, but she should also condemn his actions “in the clearest terms.” The petition creators and signees aren’t interested in a mere “postponement” of the visit. They don’t want Donald Trump in the UK for any official state visit during his entire reign in the Oval Office.
“Donald Trump’s well-documented misogyny and vulgarity disqualifies him from being received by the Queen or the Prince of Wales. Therefore during the term of his presidency Donald Trump should not be invited to the United Kingdom for an official state visit.”
The ATTN Facebook page recorded a live video Monday from the House of Commons where lawmakers voiced their strong and powerful statements against Trump and his executive order. One after another the members hold nothing back when talking about their disgust. Comments include one member bringing up Trump’s incredibly insensitive timing.
“The order was signed on Holocaust Day! For the sake of history, for heaven sake, have the guts to speak out!”
One member feels Trump in less than two weeks, Trump is already going downhill:
“Because when it comes to human rights, when it comes to women’s rights, when it comes to torture and the treatment of minorities, President Trump is already descending down a very dangerous slope.”
Another member in Parliament calls Trump a fascist.
“Now this government are hand and hand with another fascist Trump. Do the decent thing and ban the visit.”
You can view more of their statements HERE. At the end of the video, Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow declared a unanimous decision.
“The question is this House has considered the matter for the need for repeal of [Trump’s] discriminatory, divisive and counter-productive ban on entry to the United States, for people from seven predominantly Muslim countries, and the indefinite ban placed on Syrian refugees … (after taking a vote) The Ayes have it, and for the record — that was passed unanimously.”
The vote now goes to Prime Minister May who previously stated she would not be withdrawing her invitation to Trump, because it remained “substantially in the national interest.” Perhaps she can’t see the forest for the trees. This is not only about America and the UK — it affects the interest of the entire world. And the people of the UK as well as members in Parliament are coming out in droves to remind her.
It’s called the #Resistance against Donald Trump. It’s growing — and it’s gone global. Cheers to the UK.