MEXICO CITY -- Hundreds of people in the Mexican border city of Ciudad Juarez gathered on the edge of the Rio Grande river on Friday to form a “human wall” to protest U.S. President Donald Trump’s plans for a wall between the countries.

The demonstrators held aloft colorful swatches of cloth and waved to the residents of the neighboring city of El Paso, Texas.

Organizers said a friendly, human wall meant to join the two cities was better than a wall of steel or concrete to divide them.

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“We have, as it is being demonstrated here, many friends on the other side of the river, on the other side where they intend to build this wall that will never separate two friendly peoples,” said former Mexican presidential candidate Cuauhtemoc Cardenas said.

Mr. Trump has promised to make Mexico pay for the wall, something Mexican officials say they will not do.