President Donald Trump was received with royal ceremony at Windsor Castle on Wednesday, but outside the historic walls, demonstrators staged noisy opposition to his rare second state visit to Britain.
Thousands of protesters filled central London streets in defiance of the trip, which includes a state banquet hosted by King Charles III and a meeting with Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The march, organized by the Stop Trump U.K. coalition, moved along Regent Street toward Parliament with placards declaring “No to the racism, no to Trump.”
Smaller replicas of the now-famous “Trump baby blimp,” the oversized caricature that first appeared in 2019, floated above the crowds. Chants and signs denounced the former president with slogans such as “Dump Trump” and “No to fascism.” When a lone counterprotester waved a sign reading “We Love Trump,” the crowd responded with loud boos.
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London police deployed roughly 1,600 officers, anticipating members of dozens of activist groups, including climate campaigners, anti-racism organizations, and pro-Palestinian demonstrators, AP reported. Attendance was notably lighter than during Trump’s first term visit, when massive rallies shook the capital.
This time, much of the official program bypassed London altogether. Ceremonies took place in Windsor, about 20 miles west of the capital, and at Chequers, the prime minister’s country estate, where Trump is scheduled to meet Starmer on Thursday.
Trump and first lady Melania arrived at Windsor Castle by helicopter, welcomed warmly by the king before a horse-drawn carriage ride across the expansive grounds. Military bands played both the U.S. and U.K. anthems as the formalities unfolded.
Outside the castle gates, however, the atmosphere was far less celebratory. Protesters stood with signs that read “Trump your politics stink” and “Go away. You are polluting Windsor.” Police, international journalists, and security personnel significantly outnumbered them.
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“I really don’t think the royal family should be hosting him,” said Tara Heinemann, who held a placard declaring, “No banquets for fascists.” She added, “We never, ever want to be a puppet of the Trump regime and what happens with bullies is if you don’t stand up to them, they keep on bullying.”
Another protester, Grace Nathew, said, “I don’t think it’s right that we’re having Trump come for the second state visit due to his horrible rhetoric, policies and actions toward women and people of color.”
Police reported two arrests in Windsor, one for allegedly assaulting an emergency worker and issuing threats, and another tied to a public order offense.
Authorities had also detained four people a day earlier after a political stunt projected images of Trump and Jeffrey Epstein onto Windsor Castle. The activist group Led by Donkeys, which took responsibility for the projection, called the arrests “a ridiculous over-reaction” and insisted their actions were lawful.
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