'He is the world's number one racist' - Hundreds attend Sheffield Anti-Trump demonstration

Anti Donald Trump protestors gather at Barkers Pool in Sheffield on the first day of the US President's state visit to the UK

A big crowd of around 500 people crammed into Barker’s Pool on Monday to voice their disgust at the red carpet welcome being rolled out to the controversial American president.

Demonstrators dressed as characters from the Handmaid’s Tale television programme rubbed shoulders with placard-wavers and even a huge papier-mâché likeness of the man himself at a protest intended to be both fun and hard-hitting.

Speeches from anti-racist, LGBT rights and environmental groups took place before the march set off down Division Street and around the city centre.

Organiser, Maxine Bowler of Sheffield Stand Up to Racism, said people were there to show they stood against the man they see as ‘world’s number one racist’.

“He has given a green light to the far right that is moving across Europe. He is the conductor and orchestrator of that and he has normalised racist ideology,” she said.

“People say he is supposedly over here for the D Day commemorations but he is what we were fighting against then. I think it is an insult to those veterans that he is here.”

Many others of all ages, backgrounds and walks of life were also there to send the Government a message about the US billionaire's Royal honour.

Robert Jones said he wanted to attend the Sheffield demonstration as he wasn’t able to go to the one in London.

He said: “He is obviously a racist. He hates black people, gay people and women and has used his power to attack them.

“There are clear parallels with Nigel Farage in this country and we want the message from this to be that these people are not the sort of people we should have representing us.”

A small counter-protest of three people wearing ‘Make America Great Again’ baseballs caps were also present and there were scuffles as others tried to remove anti-Trump placards from the Women of Steel statue.

One of the counter protesters, David Millward, of Sheffield, said: “Donald Trump says it how it is and he does what he says. Some of it might be wrong but at least he does it.”

Donald Trump’s state visit of the UK began on Monday and ends on Wednesday. The main demonstration against the visit is due to take place in London on Tuesday.