Trump protesters make their voices heard in Edinburgh By Angie Brown

BBC Scotland, Edinburgh and East reporter Published duration 14 July 2018 Related Topics Trump UK visit

A sea of placards, banners and chanting from thousands of demonstrators has washed through Edinburgh's city centre streets in protest against the US president's visit to the UK.

The march, which started at the Scottish Parliament and ended in the Meadows was peaceful, with police confirming no arrests had been made.

Organisers said 60,000 people took part in the day's events in the capital.

But Police Scotland estimated the figure to be 9,000.

image caption Zainab Hussnain said she painted "Dump Trump" on her face and joined the protest after seeing children in cages on TV

The march was led by a woman chanting through a public address system with the crowd repeating her. She was getting the crowd to chant: "Children should be in the classroom, not in cages."

There was a high police presence with some of them armed.

The march passed through Abbeyhill, the West End and Edinburgh University buildings in Buccleuch Place to reach the Meadows, where a Carnival of Resistance was held.

As the march reached the Meadows, the Trump baby blimp was flown to a great cheer from the crowd.

The start of the march, which had set off about 20 minutes later than the noon billing, reached the Meadows after about an hour. The tail end arrived about half an hour after that.

Many carried placards with messages including "Dump Trump", "Love Trumps Hate", while others brought signs with messages for the American leader, including "Tweet off Twitter twit" and "Bolt ya rocket".

image caption Musicians got the crowd roused outside the Scottish Parliament

Before leaving parliament, those attending listened to speeches from politicians including Liberal Democrat MP Christine Jardine, Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard, SNP MP Tommy Sheppard and Scottish Green MSP Alison Johnstone.

Mr Leonard told the crowd: "We are here today standing shoulder to shoulder, all parties and none, all faiths and none, standing together in this capital to send a message out to the world that Scotland stands united against Trump.

"Donald Trump is not welcome here. The horrific scenes at the Mexican border are just the latest example of his repudiation of decent human values. Caging children like animals is barbaric and we simply cannot roll out the red carpet for a US president who treats people that way.

"These demonstrations are not simply just about the politics of Donald Trump, it is about his moral values as well."

Mr Sheppard said Mr Trump is now the "international cheerleader for bigotry, intolerance and prejudice throughout the world".

He added: "We need to stand up, and those values and that glib sincere method of delivering them hold no place in 21st century Scotland."

Those gathered at the Meadows heard speeches from campaigners punctuated by live music, while the Trump baby inflatable - depicting the US president as a nappy-clad baby holding a mobile phone - was flown in the background.

Kirsty Haigh, an activist with Scotland United Against Trump and one of the organisers of the demonstration, said: "When it became clear that he (Mr Trump) was coming here, it just made sense that we had to get out on the streets and we had to make it known to him loud and clear that we don't welcome him.

"But also to send a big message of solidarity and hope back to the people of America, back to the people who have been affected by his politics, saying we'll support you, we'll stand with you and we'll stand up against his abhorrent politics."

She said the turnout for the events in Edinburgh had "surpassed all expectations", adding: "We reckon over 60,000 people have taken part in what's been happening, come to the parliament for the start, been on the march, been here at this amazing carnival of resistance."

image caption Organisers said about 60,000 people attended the march in the capital

Scottish human rights lawyer Aamer Anwar was at the front of the march before he addressed the crowd.

image caption Haylee, G Devils in Skirts changed many of their lyrics to anti-Trump ones

Zainab Hussnain, 21, from Edinburgh, said she painted "Dump Trump" on her face and joined the protest after seeing children in cages on TV.

Claire Elliot, 55, from Glasgow, told the BBC Scotland news website: "I work for Glasgow East Women's Aid and given Trump's track record on mistreating women I thought I would come here to show solidarity with women."

Froydis Fossli Moe, 24, a student from Norway, said: "I came here to show my support to the leftist part of society. I'm a big feminist so I don't want a sexist pig to represent democracy."

image caption Scottish Aamer Anwar was at the front of the march before he addressed the crowd with a rousing speech to great cheers

After speeches the band Haylee, G Devils in Skirts played to the crowd changing their lyrics to anti-Trump ones.

There were stalls and anti-Trump banners and even a Trump coconut shy at the Carnival of Resistance in the Meadows.

The event wrapped up at about 15:30 with the blimp being deflated.

The Trump blimp cost £3,500 and was custom-made. It is 6.5m (21ft) tall and was bought with crowd-funding.

image caption The Trump blimp cost £3,500 and was custom-made. It is 6.5m tall and was bought with crowd-funding

image caption There was even a Trump coconut shy at the protest

image caption Armed police were at Carnival of Resistance in The Meadows

image caption Froydis Fossli Moe, said: 'I came here to show my support to the leftist part of society. I'm a big feminist so I don't want a sexist pig to represent democracy.'