Protest Against Trump and Brexit Ignites Students All Across London

Photography by Isabella de Carvalho

A DEMONSTRATION AGAINST TRUMP AND BREXIT LEAD BY YOUTH AND STUDENT CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, JUSTICE BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY, HAS MARCHED ACROSS VARIOUS LONDON UNIVERSITIES AND ENDED AT PARLIAMENT SQUARE AS THE DEBATE ABOUT TRUMP’S STATE VISIT BEGAN.

The march began in two separate places, one group starting from SOAS in Bloomsbury and another from UAL LCC in Elephant and Castle. These two groups marched through the city, passing various institutions such as UCL, Birkbeck and LSE, and then met at King’s College London’s Strand Campus, where they then marched to Parliament Square.

There they protested as the debate regarding Trump’s state visit was occurring, along with other larger political groups in the UK such as the Green and Labour Party and the Stop Trump coalition.

The student protestors held up signs with slogans such as “defend freedom of movement” and chanted “no Trump, no Brexit”. They say they strongly protest against “the onslaught of racist, sexist, reactionary bigotry unleashed by the election of Donald Trump” and “the deepening racism, immigrant bashing, anti Muslim bigotry and nationalism unleashed by Brexit” and the “right-wing government under Theresa May that is embracing xenophobia and ‘white populism’”. They also generally protest against “far right racists and fascists across Europe” that have been sparked by Brexit and Trump’s election. They considered today “the beginning of a real fight” and they will be holding meetings in the future to discuss further actions to take.

The youth and student civil rights group, Movement for Justice by any Means Necessary, organized the protest. This movement is supported by groups within certain London universities, such as SOAS and UAL, and has branches also in Bristol and Norwich. It is focused on fighting for “justice, equality and respect” for everyone regardless of sexual orientation, gender or race.