On 3 June, Donald Trump started his UK state visit. In response, thousands of people took action to show the US president that he’s really not welcome.
A giant penis
Before he even landed at Stansted airport, the perfect greeting awaited Trump.18-year-old Ollie Nancarrow mowed a giant penis into his parents’ land, directly under the Stansted flight path. In another field, he pointed out a stark truth for climate emergency sceptic Trump, with a picture of a polar bear:
Give us a wave when you fly over tomorrow !! @realDonaldTrump #climatechange #ClimateChangeIsReal pic.twitter.com/IzsT2XVpAn
— born_eco (@born_eco) June 2, 2019
Beautiful. Someone has moved giant gentleman's sausage into field on approach to Stansted Airport for #Trump to see#TrumpUKVisit pic.twitter.com/vzmwF5Yzl4
— Lost Droids (@Lost_Droids) June 3, 2019
Many people in the UK very much hope Trump sees this from the air. Because it sends out a clear message to a president whose actual penis has made headline news.
Ahead of his visit, Trump also endorsed Boris Johnson ahead of the Conservative Party leadership race. He reportedly told the Sun:
I think Boris would do a very good job. I think he would be excellent.
So the genius satire group Led By Donkeys projected some of Johnson’s choice words about Trump onto Big Ben’s Elizabeth Tower:
Hey @realDonaldTrump, you just endorsed your Brexit buddy @BorisJohnson but he said some VERY NASTY things about you and he doesn’t want you to know. So we projected his words onto Big Ben. Watch with the SOUND ON #TrumpUKVisit pic.twitter.com/etUb6tk9eX
— Led By Donkeys (@ByDonkeys) June 3, 2019
“A clear, orange, message”
Thousands of people are set to protest and demonstrate against Trump while he’s here on a three-day visit. This follows similar protests in 2018. Last year, a crowdfunding campaign successfully raised over £22,000 to fly a six-foot-high ‘baby Trump’ blimp over London during his UK visit. The balloon is set to fly again, as Anna Vickerstaff wrote in the Independent:
We know Trump isn’t a joke – he is responsible for rampant xenophobia, sexism and transphobia and the creeping rise of far right politics. His climate denial and persistent facilitation of the fossil fuel industry is a death sentence for communities in the global south. But if flying a balloon caricature is what gets under his skin – then that’s exactly what we’re going to do…
Our balloon is part of a proud history of political satire in the UK that sends a clear, orange, message to Trump and his politics of hate that they are not welcome here.
Sky News used the blimp balloon to introduce its coverage of the Trump visit:
He's back.
Watch full coverage of President Trump's state visit to the UK from Monday on @SkyNews. #TrumpVisit
You can find us on Sky channel 501 📺 or live here 👀 https://t.co/mFrfbZgLZW pic.twitter.com/IKuUrlFuTi
— Sky News (@SkyNews) June 2, 2019
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, meanwhile, voiced support for the protests:
Tomorrow's protest against Donald Trump's state visit is an opportunity to stand in solidarity with those he's attacked in America, around the world and in our own country – including, just this morning, @SadiqKhan.
— Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) June 3, 2019
#TrumpNotWelcome
As Trump’s plane landed, many people shared the #TrumpNotWelcome hashtag on Twitter to voice opposition. Labour’s David Lammy called the visit “Theresa May’s final humiliation”:
#TrumpUKVisit is Theresa May's final humiliation.
This is a President who insulted London's Mayor after a terror attack.
A President who equated white supremacists with their protestors.
A President who denies and deepens the climate crisis.#TrumpNotWelcome https://t.co/cWOPow5W9W
— David Lammy (@DavidLammy) June 3, 2019
Green MP Caroline Lucas was also highly critical, voicing concerns about the US ambassador’s NHS comments:
The NHS up for sale? Yet more reasons to protest this state visit.
Donald Trump is
* no friend to minorities
* no friend to women
* no friend to the climate
* no friend to Britain.Join the protests tomorrow #stopTrumpism https://t.co/On2viXNMaa
— Caroline Lucas (@CarolineLucas) June 3, 2019
LGBTQI+ campaigners spoke out too:
It’s as simple as that.
He openly mocked a disabled journalist, he’s waging a vendetta against Trans rights.
He’s an agent of the renewed rise of the white right wing and their supporters.
He’s a vile misogynistic individual.
He should not be here.
— LGBTQdisability 🏳️🌈🧜🏻♀️🦻🏼 (@qdisability) June 3, 2019
And there’s already a soundtrack for the protests, courtesy of Captain Ska:
Dear @realDonaldTrump Welcome to the UK! – we've written a special song for your arrival – enjoy .. pic.twitter.com/WnY2xGyMTY
— Captain SKA (@CaptainSKA) June 3, 2019
So far, Trump’s visit has prompted the very best responses. On day one of the visit, he’s getting exactly the kind of ‘welcome’ that he truly deserves.
Featured image via Wikimedia – Michael Vadon
