'˜Racist, sexist, fascist' - Dozens attend protest against Donald Trump in Peterborough city centre

Anybody passing the Guildhall from 6pm onwards would have heard several tirades against the US President who arrived in the UK today.

Not that everybody present agreed that the most powerful man in the free world should be barred entry to the country, as one lone voice tried desperately to shout against the dissenters despite being shushed.

Numbers wise even former Trump Press Secretary Sean Spicer (who likes to embellish a figure) would struggle to claim there were 100 people present for the protest, but a quick count at the most popular time of the evening suggested there were more than 60.

And those who stood in the bright sunshine in front of McDonald’s were able to sample an array of speakers ranging from Ron Graves of the Peterborough Trades Union Council to Carol Johnson, secretary of the Peterborough constituency Labour Party, and Labour city councillors Ed Murphy and Ansar Ali, while there was also a lengthy diatribe about Trump’s policies against the Palestinians. 

Event organiser Gareth Hill from Stand Up To Racism Peterborough said: “We know protests are happening all over the country. It’s important to show the country as a whole is united against not only Trump, but the politics he represents - racism, misogyny and sexism are what we are seeing.

“The outcome is it’s giving a voice empowering the far right of British politics. 

“We are standing here in solidarity with every Muslim targeted, every Mexican child being caged on the border and every black man arrested by the police who are being silenced by Trump.

“The NFL players chanting ‘black lives matter’ and every Palestinian being targeted by Trump moving the Israeli embassy to Jerusalem.

“Theresa May has no right to invite him here when the vast majority oppose his politics.”

One placard being waved had ‘Racist, Sexist, Fascist, Liar’ written on it, and ‘Dump Trump’ on the other side.

Another placard was being held by Aga Semik, who said Mr Trump has been disrespecting minorities.

She added: “It’s very important British politicians do not agree with Mr Trump and his politics.”

MP for Peterborough Fiona Onasanya spoke before the event about how she disagreed with the invite to Trump from the Government.

The Labour MP was not present this evening, but a statement was read out on her behalf disapproving of the separation of children and parents at the Mexican border, Trump’s previous attitude to ethnic minorities, his treatment of women, his pronouncements on Islam and his insults aimed at the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, adding that he should not be made to feel welcome and that there should be a “strong display of displeasure.”

North West Cambridgeshire MP Shailesh Vara, on the other hand, tweeted: “We should welcome President Trump. America is our closest and strongest ally - trade, security, defence etc. That relationship needs to be protected and deepened.”

The one man counter-protest came from John Chivers who shouted his disapproval of the rally before sitting down next to the fountains with his three-year-old dog Gizmo.

John listed a load of what he described as Trump’s achievements, which included defeating Isis and GDP going up by three per cent, adding: “The fact is I for one would like Donald Trump to come here so I can hear him myself, and they are going to stop me doing that.

“Who are they to stop me hearing Donald Trump? They are taking away his freedom of speech.

“I’m interested in politics. When Trump came in I was like ‘is this guy war-mongering, is he going to kick off World War Three?’

“But since he’s been in power he has got the North and South Koreans talking. When was the last time that happened? He’s achieved more than Theresa May will.

“He makes Theresa May look like a muppet.”