On Friday 20 January demonstrators assembled outside the Carfax tower in Oxford to protest the inauguration of the new President of the United States, Donald Trump.
The demonstration was attended by around 40 people and organised by the campaign group Stand up to Racism. Similar protests have been held across the country today.
Ian Mckendrick from Stand up to Racism said: “Trump’s hate speech has helped to create a climate where Black, Latino, Muslims and women can be treated as objects of abuse. When one of the most powerful people in the world can make these pronouncements there is a risk these dangerous attitudes will become normalised.”
The organisers of the rally lead chants such as “racist, sexist, anti-gay, Donald Trump cannot stay” and “say it loud, say it clear, refugees are welcome here”.
McKendrick added: “Trump has a long history of racist outbursts. He has said ‘laziness is a trait in blacks’, described Mexican immigrants as ‘criminals’ and ‘rapists’, and condoned the beating of a Black Lives Matter activist at one of his rallies. He has also said women should be “punished” for having abortions, and chillingly sought to downplay the severity of sexual violence, dismissing boasts of sexually assaulting women as ‘locker room talk’. He has also indicated he might act to overturn rights to same-sex marriages.”
Catherine, a local resident who attended the march, said: “Trump is the epitome of many things against equality and I’m a socialist. He is a very dangerous man in many ways.”
