Demonstrations, displays, and events: The methods employed by the British populace to express their discontent towards Trump's visit.
In a series of demonstrations over the last couple of days, Brits have been vocal in their opposition to US President Donald Trump. On Tuesday evening, an activist group named Led By Donkeys projected footage of Donald Trump alongside convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein onto the side of Windsor Castle. This was a bold move, marking the first time in Led By Donkeys' history that any of its activists were arrested for taking part in demonstrations involving projections.
On Wednesday, protests against Donald Trump took place in London, with slogans such as 'dump Donald Trump,' 'stop Donald Trump,' and signs related to specific political topics Donald Trump has waded into. The group 'Reclaim These Streets' gathered at Windsor Castle to display a picture of Donald Trump alongside Epstein. Their Instagram post read, 'Hey Donald Trump, welcome to Windsor Castle,' and also posted a video of a timeline of interactions between the president and Epstein.
Amid heavy security, all scheduled events were kept behind closed doors. The UK authorities aimed to keep Donald Trump away from any sign of public criticism. However, the British television network Channel 4 decided to counter this by broadcasting an 'unbroken catalogue' of Donald Trump's 'untruths and falsehoods' on Wednesday evening. The broadcast, airing for a total of five hours, displayed over 100 falsehoods, distortions, and inaccuracies uttered or written by Donald Trump since taking office. Ian Katz, the chief content officer at Channel 4, hopes this broadcast will remind viewers of the disorientating and dangerous world that becomes when the most powerful man on earth shows little regard for the truth.
Meanwhile, the US President was welcomed by the British royal family at Windsor Castle in a lavish ceremony. The ceremony was a stark contrast to the protests that took place outside the castle walls. Ben Jamal, the director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, stated that the politics Donald Trump represents are the antithesis of the politics they represent and are campaigning for. London Mayor Sadiq Khan published an op-ed in The Guardian on Tuesday accusing Donald Trump of 'fanning the flames of divisive, far-right politics around the world.'
In a bizarre twist, some demonstrators came dressed as figures including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and self-proclaimed misogynist Andrew Tate. This eccentric display added to the overall atmosphere of controversy surrounding Donald Trump's visit.
On Thursday, Donald Trump will meet with Keir Starmer at Chequers, the prime minister's official country house northwest of London. It remains to be seen how this meeting will unfold, given the recent events.
CNN's Christian Edwards, Nic Robertson, and Vasco Cotovio contributed to this report.
