Protestors gathered at Oxford Town Hall on Thursday to stage a rally against US President Donald Trump and his upcoming visit to the UK.
The ‘Oxford Rally Against Trump’, organised by the Oxford Stand Up To Trump coalition, intended to build interest in the mass protests planned to coincide with Trump’s visit in July.
The rally hosted a diverse range of speakers, all of whom spoke in opposition to Trump’s politics of racism, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, sexism, war, bigotry and climate change denial.
The speakers further called on Prime Minister Theresa May to cancel his state visit.
Oxford Stand Up To Trump Coalition member, Ian Mckendrick, told Cherwell: “People are angry at the revelations of migrant children and infants being removed from their parents by US border guards and placed in holding cages for days in great distress. This harks back to the days of slavery and the removal of native American children from their families.
“It is clear that Trump is prepared to stoke up racism to justify the human rights abuses being sanctioned by his administration. His attack on EU migrants and refugees, blaming them for violence and crime in Germany, is patently false, with crime in Germany at a 30 year low.
“We are currently seeing record levels of racism and racist attacks and Trump’s words can only help to fan the flames. It comes as no surprise that far right groups have chosen Trump’s visit to march to demand the release of former BNP activist and Islamophobic EDL founder Tommy Robinson.
“Trump’s words are giving confidence for racists to mobilise in growing numbers, and it is vital that anti-racists mobilise to show that Trump’s racist politics are not welcome here, and we will oppose all attempts by the far right to grow on the back of Trump’s visit.”
Mckendrick said the coalition has experienced a “surge of interest” following news of the new US immigration policy which sees migrant children separated from their parents at the Mexican border.
Oxford MP Anneliese Dodds, who was unable to attend, delivered a message of support for the movement standing against Trump and his visit to the UK.
Through a spokesperson, she said: “We have strength in our diversity.”
The description on the event’s page read: “By inviting Trump to visit Theresa May is endorsing Trump’s politics. This should come as no surprise. May has consistently supported austerity Trump’s drive to war, and her government has been exposed as deeply racist.
“Mass protests on July 13th will send a clear message to Trump and May that we are prepared to fight for equal rights for all oppressed groups, for peace, economic justice and environmental sustainability.”
