A women’s march with thousands of protesters kicked off the “carnival of resistance” against Donald Trump on Friday by forming a wall of noise on the streets of London.



Huge crowds had gathered for Women’s March London at the BBC headquarters by midday and they set off in the sunshine singing: “We are family, I’ve got all my sisters with me.”

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The theme of the march, staged two hours before the main Together Against Trump protest, was “bring the noise” and many came with drums, whistles and megaphones.

In a carnival atmosphere, some protesters brought pots and pans and other kitchen implements to make noise. “They are symbolic of women’s power and we are telling that misogynist that he is not welcome here,” said marcher Lucy O’Brien.

Other demonstrators held aloft banners that ranged from combative to comical. “Keep your tiny hands off our NHS,” read one. “How dare you combover here,” said another, while 14-year-old Grace Hitchen held aloft a sign that said: “My mum doesn’t like you and she likes everyone.”

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Ruth Hunt, the chief executive of the LGBT+ rights charity Stonewall, who marched with a large group from the organisation, said: “One of the first things Trump did was ban trans people in the military. We are often the canary in the coal mine so we are here to say not in our name. We are here, we are queer and we are not going away.”

There was considerable support for the London mayor, Sadiq Khan, with many outraged that Trump had singled Khan out for criticism in his controversial interview in the Sun, saying the mayor was doing a “terrible job” on terrorism.



O’Brien said she thought the attack had brought more people to the streets. “Don’t disrespect Londoners and say our mayor is doing a terrible job because Londoners will come out in force,” she said.



Ruth Turner from Tooting was marching with a banner reading “London ♡ Sadiq”. She tweeted:

Alexandra Topping (@LexyTopping) Lot of support for @SadiqKhan on the #bringthenoise #TrumpProtest: Ruth Turner: “The mayor stands for all the values we think are important. Londoners love the diversity of our city and Trump is an affront to that.” pic.twitter.com/nW8PdC28qo



Her friend Anne Howard said she thought numbers had been boosted by Trump’s “insulting behaviour” to Theresa May. “To come to someone else’s country and be so unbelievably rude is unacceptable,” she said. “He was so patronising – ‘I told her how to do Brexit but she didn’t listen’ – like she is some little woman and not the prime minister. It sounds like so many men I’ve met in my life.”



Alexandra Topping (@LexyTopping) Sam and Jemima Queen and there son Sidney. “We are marching for our childrens’ future and for the children Trump is separating from their parents,” says Jemima Queen. #TrumpProtests #BringTheNoise pic.twitter.com/X1qQEyg7sb

There has been tension between different groups on the left, with some in the Together Against Trump camp urging the Women’s March organisers to join them, but many protesters said that while they supported – and may join in – both marches, they wanted to be part of a women-led protest. Hundreds of parents brought their children along, many just babies in arms.





Alexandra Topping (@LexyTopping) Charlie Lewis was marching with her 6-month-old daughter Etta. “I’ve never been on a protest before but I felt I had to for her future,” she said. “I want her to always feel like she has a voice.” pic.twitter.com/dqqJv5Mses

Sam and Jemima Queen were marching with the their seven-month-old son Sidney. “We are marching for our children’s future and for the children Trump is separating from their parents,” said Jemima.

Dawn Hitchen, whohad travelled with her daughters from Sussex, said: “It’s incredible to us that so much power can be concentrated in the hands of one man who is so uniquely unqualified. He is not competent.”

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The march reached its rally point at Parliament Square at 2pm where organisers led a mass singalong of a new version of Rhythm is a Dancer with the lyrics “Donald, racist bigot, sexist bigot, Donald, Trump is a disaster.” Representatives from Women for Refugee Women read poems by women incarcerated in Yarl’s Wood immigration removal centre and an all-female dance troupe performed.

Labour MP Dawn Butler, the shadow minister for women and equalities, told the crowds: “Do not underestimate the power of being here today ... Theresa May may hold a little hand but we have the whole world in our hands.”



• This article was amended on 14 July 2018 to changed the attribution of a quote to Lucy O’Brien and correct the spelling of her surname.

