- Title: British protesters unfurl banners protesting Trump presidency
- Date: 20th January 2017
- Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (JANUARY 20, 2017) (REUTERS) TOWER BRIDGE PROTESTERS DROP BANNER FROM TOWER BRIDGE READING (English): "BUILD BRIDGES NOT WALLS" BOAT ON THAMES WITH PROTESTERS HOLDING BANNER (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNKNOWN PROTESTER, SAYING: "We are here just to show our support to groups who are under attack, in the UK, across Europe and in the U.S. as well and to reject the rise of what we feel is very far right politics." VARIOUS OF BANNER HANGING FROM TOWER BRIDGE
- Embargoed: 3rd February 2017 14:48
- Keywords: Donald Trump inauguration London bridge and flag protest Bridges Not Walls
- Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK / EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND, UK
- City: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK / EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND, UK
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0045ZVYYX3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:A banner reading "Build bridges not walls" was draped across London's Tower Bridge on Friday (January 20), as part of a series of protests across the world aimed at expressing displeasure at the inauguration of Donald Trump as U.S. president.
Protesters on the drawbridge, with its two Gothic-style towers, held up pink letters reading "Act now!" soon after sunrise, while others unfurled the banner over the railings and a speedboat with a black flag reading "build bridges not walls" raced down the River Thames.
"We are here just to show our support to groups who are under attack, in the UK, across Europe and in the U.S. as well and to reject the rise of what we feel is very far right politics," a protester told Reuters.
Beside the British parliament, protesters draped banners saying "Migrants welcome here" and "Migration is older than language" over Westminster bridge.
Other protests are planned in London, other British cities and across the world on Friday.
"Donald Trump is being inaugurated and it is a terrible moment in the history of the world," said one protester on Westminster Bridge.
Trump has repeatedly pledged to "make America great again", drawing strong support especially from areas of industrial decline. He said on Twitter that he would fight very hard to make his presidency a great journey for the American people.
Due to be sworn in at a ceremony in Washington on Friday, he faces protests in Washington during his inauguration, and in cities from Toronto to Sydney, Addis Ababa and Dublin over his politics which critics say are divisive and dangerous.
The protest in London was organised by the campaign group also called "Bridges not Walls", in reference to Trump's pledge to build a wall on the Mexican border. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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